Operation: Catch a Dragneel
by acochran5
Summary: After the war with Alverez Zeref is put on trial for his crimes. He is certainly facing a lifetime in prison but his newfound companions have other plans. They are determined to save Zeref from such a fate but how will they keep him from falling into the darkness? Well, like any good plan it starts with the perfect outfit and descends into chaos from there. ZERVIS, NALU!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairytail**

**Warnings: I am perfectly aware that this is not how trials work probably in any world. This fic is purely for laughs and squeals. Total fluff, but there's some plot I guess. If you're here looking for a serious fic please do not read any further. This is purely for light-happy feelings and people who want to read happy fics. If you're not here for that turn back, if you are, please enjoy,**

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Chapter title: Of Stereotypes, Perfect Outfits, and Romantic Schemes

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"You are going to court, so unless you want to get thrown in prison for the rest of your life, you're going to have to seem as innocent as possible." Lucy dictated wagging her finger and pacing in front of the two boys. They were both exhausted from walking around different stores with several outfits so that Lucy could find "the perfect outfit." She stared with scrutiny at Natsu Dragneel. "Red. I think red is your color." She said finally.

"Why can't I just wear what I have?"

"Because it's not in style. Skinny jeans are."

"There is no way I'm dressing like Gray." Natsu said, glaring at Lucy with all his might. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I was just thinking you might like a different outfit once in a while. But this isn't about you anyway." Lucy said. "It's about him." Lucy said, glancing at the other boy, whom, unlike his younger counter part was sitting straight with his hands folded. "And sit up straighter!" she scolded Natsu. Natsu moaned pathetically and slid down further, his arms spread lazily across the sitting area. Lucy glared at him and searched some more through pants and shirts. She stared at all of them in disgust and started to cry dramatically when she couldn't find "the perfect outfit". The boys, however, didn't care anymore, and secretly, Zeref would rather go to prison than go through another store and listen to a dramatic Lucy. Suddenly, she stopped crying and gasped. She'd never done this before. Lucy surged up from her pathetic and odd position on the floor and practically flew to a rack with more shirts. Zeref nor Natsu had any knowledge of why she had stopped her dramatic display of misery. She practically skipped back over holding black pants and blue, long-sleeved shirt.

"What is it?" Natsu asked, mildly creeped out at the look on her face. Lucy rolled her eyes and waved the outfit in front of him as if it held the answer to his questions. "What?" she sighed in exasperation.

"This is the outfit!" she squealed and thrusted it violently into his hands. Zeref sighed and went with a depressed face into the dressing room. This wasn't the first time Lucy had found "the perfect outfit". When Zeref came out Lucy's face soured. "Look happy." She commanded. Natsu looked at his best friend in astonishment. According to the laws of nature someone couldn't be happy just because someone commanded it. Especially not the evilest wizard on earth, whom looked oddly like he was playing a boy-next-door kind of role. Zeref managed to force a smile at which Lucy rolled her eyes. It looked so forced it was ridiculous. She walked over and scrutinized the outfit as she had done with every other one. She tapped her chin and gave a once over at her attempt to make the black wizard look young and innocent. She really hadn't had to try too hard, but something was missing. She rolled up the sleeves, so they only reached his elbows. A large smile enveloped her face. "Perfect!" she cheered.

"I don't understand. What did you do?" Natsu asked.

"I rolled up the sleeves."

"How does that make a difference?"

"It just does!" Lucy shouted with a glare.

"What's with your face?" Natsu asked. Lucy blinked at him. she looked kind of like a lizard in Natsu's opinion.

"Do you want to die?" she finally asked.

"No ma'am!" Natsu said quickly. Angry Lucy was not a good Lucy.

"Can we go now?" Zeref spoke for the first time that day. Lucy rolled her eyes and stared at him as if the boy with probably the highest IQ in the world was the stupidest person on Earthland.

"Of course not." She said mater-of-factly. Zeref and Natsu groaned. "Now you need a girlfriend."

"No, I don't."

"Of course, you do."

"But who would ever like him?" Natsu asked bluntly. Both Lucy and Zeref glared at him. a terrifying prospect indeed. Natsu chuckled nervously as Lucy said.

"Me! Who else? I fit the role of the girl next door perfectly." She said and tossed her shiny blonde hair over her shoulder and gave a blinding white smile. "See?"

"I always thought of you more as the stupid mean-girl." Natsu said. Lucy glared angrily.

"Shut up." She muttered and ran off to find "the perfect outfit." And she found it, many stores later. If Zeref hadn't been immortal he would already be dead. And Natsu… was dead. He moaned on the place to sit down as Lucy searched for shoes. Finally, she found it. She shrieked and ran to put them on. When she stood her outfit consisted of a long, white dress. It ran to her calves and the sleeves to her elbow. The skirt was flowy and had a barrage of flowers. She had her hair tied in a bow, curtesy of cancer. She twirled and posed as Natsu and Zeref looked at her with blank faces. They almost looked brain-dead in Lucy's opinion. "What do you think?" she asked.

"I think we both died several stores ago and you're currently talking to our ghosts." Zeref said. Lucy, again, rolled her eyes.

"Also, you're a classic mean girl. Not a girl-next-door." Natsu said. Lucy huffed.

"WELL, IT ISN'T LIKE THERE'S ANYONE ELSE AROUND!"

"Why do you think I called Mavis?" Natsu asked as if Lucy was the idiot.

"Do you want me to call Erza?"

"No ma'am!" Natsu shouted.

"Mavis, huh? Now that's classic girl-next-door." Lucy said with a grin, instantly forgetting her initial anger.

"Why do I need a girlfriend?"

"To make you look innocent." Lucy said and twirled around in her outfit. "I don't care if Mavis is going to be Zeref's girlfriend… I'm getting this outfit." As if on cue Mavis skipped in the door. She waved at her friends and hurried over.

"What are you guys doing here? I thought Zeref's trial was today." Mavis said.

"We're working on making him look innocent." Lucy said, grinning. Mavis looked at him and grinned.

"Well done." She praised Lucy. Lucy giggled and bopped her head in a nod. Natsu gagged and Zeref looked at them strangely. "I'm guessing I'm here as a prop."

"Yup! You're the girlfriend."

"I've always wanted the girl-next-door role." Lucy grinned.

"Well that's exactly what you're getting today. But first you need the perfect outfit!"

"NO!" Natsu cried in agony, dropping to his knees on utter despair. Lucy was pretty sure Zeref had died… again, and Natsu lay motionless on his face. Lucy smirked.

"Yes." Was all she said. So, they shopped for more hours. And the only reason they stopped was because it was time for Zeref's trial. And the worst part about it was that Mavis ended up buying the same outfit Lucy was, except in pink, because, according to Lucy, pink suited her best. And so, they all left for the trial.

When they arrived all the members of the council were lined up in their chairs looking down at the wizards. They wondered where Zeref was, because all who walked in was Natsu and Lucy, Fairytail wizards. A strange young girl, whom couldn't be Zeref because she was female. And a timid-looking boy who was even less likely to be Zeref then the salamander. "Where's Zeref?" the chairman asked. Natsu pointed to the timid-looking boy. The council narrowed their eyes into slits like snakes. They had expected an old man with scary eyes and a glare so wicked the dragons would cower.

"Prove it." One of the council members unwisely said. Zeref did by choking the one whom asked. The man writhed on the ground, and a black cloud surrounded Zeref. His eyes turned a terrifying shade of blood red. And soon it stopped.

"Is that good enough?" Zeref asked.

"… Certainly." The chairman said. "Step up to the podium." Zeref complied.

"He isn't playing innocent so well." Lucy whispered.

"Looks like all that shopping and money was wasted." Natsu said dryly.

"As if. You think I plan on letting him keep those clothes? They still have the tag on them, so he can wear them for today, and then I'm getting my money back." Mavis had walked up to the podium along with Zeref and held his hand smiling sweetly. The council members didn't mind, so they didn't say anything.

"How do you plead?" one asked.

"Guilty." Zeref said. The council members looked at him strangely. Mavis's smile became strained and she squeezed his hand so hard everyone heard a sickening pop. Zeref winced.

"What did you say, sweetie?"

"Not guilty." Zeref grimaced.

"That's what I thought you said." Mavis said and turned back to the council.

"Will Zeref Dragneel come forward?" the chairman said finally. Zeref did so. "I will start reading the charges against you." The chairman said to Zeref and started. "Murder, …" and he went on to read all the charges. "And the murder of Victor Clouse."

"I didn't do that, it was Angelina." Zeref instantly slapped himself as he felt the woman beside him freeze.

"Who is Angelina?" she asked tightly.

"Um…"

Natsu snorted. "Zeref's in trouble with his girlfriend." Natsu snickered and Lucy slapped his arm not-so-lightly.

"ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU'VE BEEN WITH OTHER GIRLS SINCE I DIED? "

"Something tells me that's not a good reason to be angry." Natsu whispered. Natsu could already start imagining how he would tell his future children how their uncle died.

_"__How did Uncle Zeref die?"_

_ "__Death by girlfriend." Natsu would answer immediately and his children would look at him funny and Natsu would shrug. "Never tell your girlfriend you were cheating on her while she was dead." And his children would laugh, telling him that was a good joke. Then they would ask how he really died. And Natsu would smile mysteriously. "Call my bluffs at your own risk."_

"Natsu! You have to save Zeref! I think Mavis is actually killing him!" Lucy shouted as she watched in horror as Mavis shook Zeref by his shoulders violently. Zeref moaned as he felt his head snap back and forth. And then he passed out.

"Zeref you can't die yet! I haven't thrown you into a pit of lava!"

"Just what do you plan to do?" Natsu asked shakily.

"I plan to cut him into little pieces and throw him into a pit of lava. Then, when he regenerates I'll punch him till he's dead. Then, I'll resurrect him and give him the real punishment." Mavis said, smiling sweetly. Natsu whimpered and hid behind Lucy, who was sweating buckets. "But he has to wake up before I can do that."  
"Oh! I've got it! True loves kiss!" Lucy said dramatically

"Or CPR." Natsu muttered but no one heard him.

"Perfect! Natsu, kiss him!" Mavis said.

"WHAT! NO WAY! THAT IS DISGUSTING! NUMBER 1 I'M A GUY AND HE'S A GUY! NUMBER 2 HE'S MY BROTHER!"

"Something tells me the, "he's my brother", should've been number 1." Lucy said. "Besides she has a point. Siblings always have to have true love for each other. So, have at it."

"But I don't wanna!" Natsu screeched.

"Do you want me to call Erza?" Lucy asked.

"Does it have to be the lips?"

"Yes! Have you ever heard of a princess waking up with a kiss on the forehead?"

"I still say those princes were doing CPR." Natsu said.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Lucy said in a monotone.

"NO! AWAKING FROM DEATH WITH A KISS IS THE STUPIDEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD! AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF STUPID THINGS."

"Like what?"

"LIKE KISSING MY BROTHER WILL WAKE HIM UP!"

"That brings us back to the original conversation. Kiss him." Lucy said without a hint of sympathy.

"But I don't wanna!" Natsu whined.

"Do you want me to call Erza?"

"Does it have to be the lips?"

"Now we're just going around in circles. And yes! Have you ever heard of a princess waking up with a kiss on the forehead?"

"He's not a princess." Natsu mumbled.

"What was that?" Lucy asked in a growl.

"I said you're so mean!" Natsu whined as he walked over to his peaceful looking brother. "Let's get this over with man." Natsu said and took a deep breath before leaning down. He puckered up and heard deafening silence before a deep voice echoed throughout the room.

"You kiss me, brother, and you will find there are a lot more painful things then death." Zeref growled staring at him with blood-shot eyes. Natsu shrieked like a girl and scampered away to hide behind Lucy. She chuckled.

"Natsu I was just kidding… were you really going to kiss him?"

"… No…"

"You were, weren't you!"

"I was not!"

"Were to!" Lucy shouted in a teasing tone. "Does Natsu have a crush?"

"That is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard!" Natsu cried wrinkling his nose. Lucy cackled like a witch and Natsu groaned in misery.

"Zeref is found… not guilty! Mainly because I never want to see you people again!" the chairman cried and ran out of the room, creeped out of his mind.

"This is crazy." Zeref muttered.

"That's what you get when you invite Fairytail!" Natsu, Lucy, and Mavis cheered and grinned big grins at each other. Zeref sighed.

"I never want to see you again." Zeref said, shaking his head. They all grin at him.

"Last one that catches Zeref has to kiss him!" Natsu cheered and chased after a running Zeref.

"You sure you should be making bets like that, Dragneel?" Lucy teased.

"**SHUT UP!**" Natsu roared, a grin on his face and a wild look in his eye.

Natsu ran as fast as his legs would carry him, which was pretty fast, but Lucy had summoned Virgo whom ran faster than he could. "NO FAIR!" Natsu cried.

"ALL IS FAIR IN WAR!" Lucy cried giddily. Natsu boosted himself with his fire feet.

"NO! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!" Mavis cried, a long way behind them. Natsu could only grin and boost harder. There was no way he was going to let Lucy win! He was closing in on Zeref, but the weird thing was Mavis wasn't running anymore. "Must've excepted defeat" Natsu thought. They were closing in fast and Natsu stretched out his arms to grab his brother, but Zeref teleported at the last moment.

"What?" Natsu cried, skitting to a stop. He glanced around and saw his brother teleporting practically on top of Mavis and they both went down. Zeref tried to teleport again but Mavis elbowed him in the gut.

"I caught him! now, one of you will have to kiss him!"

"I don't want to be kissed!" Zeref cried loudly.

"Of course, you do." Mavis said grinning.

"… No, I really don't." Mavis rolled her eyes and flattened herself on top of him. Zeref groaned and put his face in the dirt.

"Darn. They're never gonna take those clothes back now." Lucy grumbled. Natsu ran and ran toward the two of them, Mavis was giggling, probably picturing their torture. Lucy was right behind him with Virgo and they were closing in fast. Natsu felt them on his heels, and Natsu cried out when they bolted passed him.

"No!" he screeched and grabbed Virgo's waist, whom ended up carrying the two of them across the terrain, and they both reached Zeref at exactly the same time. Mavis giggled.

"Now you both have to kiss him!" she screeched with laughter.

"I honestly don't find it all that funny, Mavis." Zeref said. What was so funny?  
"NO!" Lucy and Natsu cried in agony. Zeref crossed his arms with a look of contempt written over his face.

"Am I really that bad a kisser?"

"Well, last time someone kissed you they keeled over." Natsu said bluntly.

"I can't help it if I was drop-dead gorgeous!" Zeref exclaimed, causing Mavis to shriek with more laughter, holding her stomach. "IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Zeref screamed, losing his temper for the first time. Natsu was right along giggling with Mavis and Lucy attempted to hold back her evident laughter.

"YOU! DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS! I CAN'T! I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT!" Natsu cried, feeling that his stomach had never hurt so terribly. No, not even on the fastest of magic-mobiles. Zeref pouted and started to run away again. "HEY! Guys, we can't let him get away!" Natsu exclaimed and ran after Zeref. "Last one to catch him has to propose!" Natsu cried.

**"WHAT!"** The two girls shrieked as Natsu cackled and threw himself on Zeref.

"So… which one of you is going to propose?" Natsu asked in a teasing tone.

"Why is proposing to me such a horrible punishment?" Zeref cried dramatically. Natsu shrugged. How was he supposed to know? He snickered at the looks of horror on the girls faces. Mavis was the first to recover and made her dash toward Natsu and Zeref. Lucy realized she missed her chance to act and it was too late as Mavis had reached Zeref.

"NO!" Lucy cried. Natsu and Mavis smirked as Lucy was made to get on one knee, Zeref towering over her with an impatient look.

"Will you marry me?" Lucy asked, wondering what his answer would be.

"No." Zeref said flatly. "You three are the most horrible, short-sighted, ignorant, unsympathetic, stupidest people I have ever met. And I hope you never talk to me again, because I am sure I am losing brain cells just by looking at you." He said, turned around, and marched off.

"… I hate to say it, but that was kind of expected." Natsu said, watching as Zeref march away like a soldier heading off to war. Lucy sighed and pouted,

"I feel insulted."

"Oh yeah, the evilest wizard on earth didn't want to marry you, big deal… I say cut your losses." Natsu said with a shrug. Lucy glared at him.

"It's the principle of the thing! I mean, he didn't want to marry ME! Lucy Heartfillia! There's something wrong with him. everyone wants to marry me." Natsu just blinked at her with a blank look on his face before he asked her in an overly, fakely concerned voice, his arms crossed.

"Lucy, did you take your meds this morning? You know you get delusions if you don't." Natsu mocked. Lucy looked like she wanted to kill him.

"I don't need MEDS!" she shouted.

"Quick Mavis, she's becoming unstable!" Natsu cried. Lucy glared at him. Natsu laughed at her expression. "Come on, let's go get Zeref." Natsu said with a grin. The two other girls nodded and set off in the direction he marched. And they found him not to long after they started looking. He was sitting at the top of the roof. Natsu had said to look there first because Zeref seemed like that type of person. He was pouting miserably up there. "Hey! Zeref!" Natsu called running up to him.

"Have you lost a bet and come to kiss me as punishment?" Zeref asked. Natsu frowned.

"No, I haven't. I just came to tell you we're going back to Fairytail."

"Why would you want to tell me that?" Zeref asked, looking confused. This made Natsu confused.

"Why wouldn't I want to tell you that? Obviously, I'm telling you, so you can quit moping and come back with us."

"Come back with you?" Zeref asked. Natsu grinned.

"Well, of course." Natsu said. Zeref looked at him with a frown. "You are coming back, aren't you?" Natsu asked.

"Well…"

"Well, you don't have a choice. You're a convict. You have to come with us as part of your sentence."

"You sure it's because of that and not the fact that he's your brother?" Lucy asked.

"… Both reasons." Natsu said. "Come on!" Natsu cried and grabbed Zeref's hand. "Let's go!"

"I don't know…" Zeref said hesitantly whilst Natsu tried to force him to follow.

"What don't you know?" Lucy asked.

"It's just…" he wrenched his hand out of Natsu's grip by tugging up and down fast, aiming for where the thumb and pointer finger met as it was the weakest point in the grip. Zeref backed up a few steps as Natsu was left to look at Zeref to his hand with a shocked expression on his face. "I just…" Zeref looked guilty. "I don't deserve it." He whispered so lowly they had to strain to hear it.

"I don't know what you're talking about. But you're getting on my nerves." Natsu said with an unamused expression on his face. Zeref shook his head and gave a small smile.

"It's nothing." He said quietly.

"And I'm the next king of Fiore. You're not fooling me." Natsu said and looked behind him at the two girls behind him. they shrugged their shoulders. Zeref's eyes were filled with sadness and pain. It didn't take a genius to see that.

"Really. I didn't say anything."

"Do you really think I'm deaf enough to not hear what you just said?" Natsu asked. Zeref slowly shook his head and looked anywhere but at Natsu. "Right… so, stop moping and come on. I'm telling you. Sticking with us is the worst punishment you could ever get, understand?"

"HEY!" Lucy and Mavis shouted. Natsu looked back at them with an apologetic smile that wasn't apologetic at all. In fact, he looked happy that he just insulted himself along with everyone else in Fairytail.

"So, what do you say?" Natsu asked.

"Well…"

"Good choice." Natsu said before Zeref had a chance to respond to his question. This time he grabbed Zeref's hand so tightly his wrist started to turn red. Then Natsu started to stomp off the roof like a soldier marching off to war.

"Is it just me, or do they even march the same way?" Lucy asked Mavis.

"Not just you." She said. They smiled at each other and started off after the two brothers. "So, when do you plan on becoming my sister-in-law?" Mavis asked Lucy. She turned with a huge blush on her face.

"W-what do you mean?" Lucy stuttered.

"You know exactly what I mean." Mavis said smirking.

"W-well…" suddenly Lucy smirked at Mavis.

"The real question is when you are going to become my sister-in-law." Lucy said. Mavis blushed a little.

"Well it's not my fault he's too much of a coward to propose." Mavis whined.

"Well, it's not my fault that Natsu is too much of an idiot to realize I have feelings for him… what if he doesn't feel the same?"

"He will! Those Dragneel brothers are way more similar than I ever realized. I can't believe I never realized it until it was told right to my face… even if they didn't have anything in common they would still have one thing. They both fall hopelessly in love with smart blonde girls." Mavis said.

"Where's the other smart blonde?" Lucy asked.

"NOT A GOOD JOKE! DO YOU WANT ME TO TELL NATSU YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON-!" Lucy clapped her hand over Mavis's mouth.

"Shh! Not so loud!" she whisper-shouted. Mavis pouted.

"Well, it's your fault for saying something like that and implying that you're the smarter of the two of us." Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah… I know. Just please don't tell him or I'd die of embarrassment!"

"You should talk to Zeref about your crush on his brother." Mavis said.

"No way! What if he goes and tell Natsu that I like him!" Lucy half shrieked.

"Then you have to promise him to secrecy."

"Well if I have to talk to Zeref about my crush then you have to talk to Natsu about yours!" Mavis wrinkled her nose.

"NO WAY! He's too much of an idiot to understand what I'm talking about and knowing Natsu he'll accidently let it slip that I like Zeref, and then I'll never live it down!" Mavis cried dramatically.

"And what if Zeref accidently lets something slip? I'm only telling him about my crush if you tell Natsu!" Mavis frowned at Lucy. Then her eyes lit up and she looked at Lucy with her "I have an ingenious plan that's definitely not going to backfire!" look.

"What is it?"

"Why do we have to admit our crushes? We'll just get them to admit theirs!" Mavis said excitedly.

"There's no way they'd admit their crushes. Natsu probably won't but knowing Zeref he'll probably guess you're only asking because you have a crush on him." Lucy said.

"That's just it! I won't be the one asking. You will be! Once we know who their crushes are we'll report back to each other. And then, if we know they like us back it will be easier to confess!"

"I don't know… there are several things that could go wrong with a plan like that." Lucy said hesitantly.

"But you have to admit it's better than openly saying we have crushes." Mavis said.

"I don't have to admit anything… I'm scared, what if Natsu doesn't like me back?"

"At least you'll know so you can move on! We're both young and beautiful. If they don't like us then we won't become sisters-in-law, but at least we won't have to be stuck on them for our entire lives. Also, I'm pretty sure Zeref likes me in the non-friend way, but I just want to be sure."

"Exactly! I'm the one who's really taking the risk! I have no idea if Natsu sees me in a non-friend way!" Lucy said nervously.

Meanwhile up with the guys.

"Should we tell them we can hear everything they're talking about?" Zeref asked his little brother. He could hear the girls talk about confessing.

"Naw." Natsu said with a grin. "Let them be clueless for once."

"I CAN'T CONFESS NOW!" they heard Lucy shriek as quietly as she could. Zeref didn't like to leave them hanging like this, but Natsu seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it.

With the girls.

"This is all so sudden. Maybe we should just let them confess in their own time." Lucy said.

"No way are we waiting for them not to be cowards! We have to make the first move!"

"But… what if they don't-." Lucy's nervousness was cut off by Mavis's,

"Then we call them losers and go on our merry ways, showing that even their harsh rejection will never get us down!" Mavis cried.

"…But… it will get me down." She said quietly.

"Come on! All we have to do is get them alone and ask if they like our best friend!"

"I don't know…"

"I do! let's do this!" Mavis said with obvious conviction that made up for Lucy's nervousness.

"O-okay. I'm in." Lucy said, a small smile making its way to her face. Mavis grinned.

"Alright. Operation, Catch A Dragneel, is a go!" she cried. Lucy looked at her strangely. Lucy cleared her throat and asked nervously,

"What's operation catch a Dragneel?" Lucy asked.

"By the end of this week we are going to have boyfriends my blonde friend."

"B-boyfriends?"

"Yep! And by the end of this month, we'll have husbands!" Mavis exclaimed.

Then Lucy fainted. Mavis looked at her friend worriedly. That's when Natsu cracked up laughing. Even Zeref started to chuckle quietly. Mavis glared at them. "Just what is so funny about my friend fainting?" she asked. They didn't answer her, just continued to laugh. Mavis punched Natsu in the stomach and stood over him with a withering glare. "I asked what was so funny." Zeref smiled faintly at her.

"Oh Natsu, we shouldn't laugh." He said.

"BUT IT WAS SO FUNNY!" he cried and cracked up into another fit of laughter despite the pain in his stomach. Tears started to slide down his face he was laughing so hard.

"Sorry Mavis… but operation, Catch A Dragneel, was what sealed it for me." Zeref said with a grin. It took a moment for Mavis to process when she looked in horror at him.

"Y-your heard what we were talking about?" Mavis asked.

"Every word." Natsu said. "I didn't know Lucy liked me."

"Well, of course you didn't. you're an idiot." Zeref said.

"All of it!" Mavis asked shrilly in a quiet voice.

"Yes but- Hey! Don't tell me you're going to pass out too!" Natsu exclaimed. But it was too late. She had fainted. Zeref chuckled to himself.

"I can imagine when they wake up they'll think this moment a nightmare." Zeref said.

"Yeah, me too." Natsu laughed. "That was fun." He added.

"We should confess to them soon. Before they get taken by someone else whom they see more fit." Zeref said.

"Who says whom anymore?" Natsu asked.

"I do." Zeref said in a dignified manner as they both picked up one of the girls.

"Hey, can I switch you? Lucy's kind of heavy." Natsu complained. Zeref smirked.

"I would think everything is kind of heavy to you, brother." Zeref said chuckling. Natsu pouted.

"Hey! Not nice!" he said.

"Well it's not nice to call your future girlfriend heavy either. Especially when she doesn't know you called her bloated."  
"I did not say she was bloated, I said she was heavy." Natsu spoke defiantly. Zeref sighed and took a glance at his dear younger brother.

"You have a lot to learn about females' little brother." He said. Natsu scowled

"Well, so do you! Number one, we don't call them females we call them girls you idiot." It was Zeref's turn to frown.

"I am most certainly not an idiot." Zeref said matter-of-factly. Natsu rolled his eyes and gave his brother a withering look that said, "Yeah right, you're not fooling anyone with that story but yourself." Zeref stuck his tongue out at his brother. Natsu gasped and did the same and it turned into a full out tongue-sticking-out-war. And there was only such a thing between siblings. The two brothers glared at each other and started to speak ill of the other.

"You're notorious for being an idiot, Natsu Dragneel." Zeref said. Natsu scoffed.

"It seems you don't know how to insult people, brother." He said. And again, they both stuck their tongues out at the same time. And this kind of behavior continued until Mavis and Lucy awoke and put an end to their constant bickering.

"Natsu, it's wrong to eaves drop." Lucy scolded him, glaring with all her might. But, it didn't matter how much she glared because she would never get over how embarrassing it was to have your crush overhear your conversation about him to your best friend! Mavis was unnaturally silent ever since she found out Zeref had heard her talk about her plan to Catch A Dragneel. She was **so **embarrassed. Neither girl could bear to look their crushes in the eye for fear of fainting again. they had thought it was a nightmare when they first woke up but were quickly reminded of the fact that it was reality, and Natsu wanted to use it as blackmail. Lucy had said they'd had no proof and Natsu had just given her a look that said, "Do you really think anyone will care?" Lucy had responded with a defeated sigh.

"Just what do you want from us?" Mavis snapped, tired of hearing Natsu drag on about how he was going to make their lives miserable. Natsu smirked.

"That's what I'm working on." He said with a devilish grin. Lucy glared at him again.

"I hate you, Dragneel." Lucy growled

"Really? Cause you were just talking about professing your love to me not too long ago." Natsu said with a smirk. Lucy couldn't keep her glare for too long and her eyes became watery.

"You won't really tell anyone, will you? You're just teasing, right?" she asked.

"Urm… no?" Natsu seemed to ask himself rather than answer Lucy's question. "I-I mean, it's nothing for you to worry about!" Lucy started to cry. "WAIT! D-don't cry." Natsu said, trying to console her. Zeref shook his head.

"You're an idiot." Natsu glared at him.

"Aw, Lucy, don't cry!" Natsu exclaimed. "T-the truth is… I really like you too." He said.

"Really?" Lucy, Zeref, and Mavis asked suspiciously.

"I think so…"

"Idiot." They all say.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Natsu said, frowning. He pulled Lucy into an embrace. Lucy rested her head on his chest.

"You know this would be a perfect time to confess too." Mavis told Zeref.

"Go right ahead." Zeref said.

"I meant you, idiot." Zeref raised an eyebrow.

"… That's very assuming." Mavis glared.

"CONFESSING DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN SAYING YOU LOVE ME, IT JUST MEANS THAT YOU ARE TELLING ME HOW YOU FEEL! OR TELL ME SOMETHING YOUR GUILTY OF… I'LL TAKE THAT TOO!" Mavis shouted at him, her lips drawing into a firm pout.

"…Well there's no need to yell at me." He said. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, I'm just saying that I'm rather surprised the evilest wizard in the world doesn't know what confess means." She said.

"… Being the evilest wizard in the world and knowing the definition of words has no correlation." Zeref said blandly.

"YOU ARE SO MEAN!" Mavis cried, and smacked his arm with her fist.

"… You're the one who's hitting me."

"MEANIE!" she cried.

"Besides, I didn't know we had to confess like love-sick teenagers. I simply thought you'd be more mature about this Mavis." Mavis looked as if he'd just insulted her.

"Me? Mature? How dare you speak that word in my presence!" she shouted, with her fist in the air.

"You're adorable." Zeref said.

"I'm… adorable?"

"I thought we already established that… did I not just say you were adorable?"

"… Well, you did… but I wasn't sure if I heard you right… you think I'm adorable.

"Yes." Mavis blushed profusely. "… Except when you start to threaten me and try to cut me up into little pieces and throw me into a pit of lava… and then resurrect me so you can punch me to death, before you resurrect me again for the real punishment… that's a little less adorable and more…"

"Creepy?"

"I was going to say murderous… but I suppose creepy will do also." Zeref said.

"WOULD YOU JUST HURRY UP AND KISS ALREADY!" Natsu shouted.

"To be honest I don't think it's the time… I mean, I just called her murderous."

"Excuses, excuses." Mavis clucked her tongue. She stood on tip-toe and gave him a chaste kiss on his lips. Zeref looked surprised and looked down at her. Mavis was blushing so hard she thought her face might fall off. But then he smiled and patted her on the head. He was the only one whom she would allow to pat her on the head like a child and not rip his arm off. "Now it's your turn." Mavis told Natsu.

"H-his turn?" Lucy asked uncertainly.

"… Oh, yeah!" Natsu grinned, and kissed Lucy. She fainted from all the stimulation. Natsu looked at her, and then looked worried. "Did she die?" Natsu asked blandly.

"Why the heck would she die, it's just a kiss." Mavis said. And then they all looked at Zeref. "Oh… now I kind of get why you might be worried." Mavis added and Zeref frowned at them. It wasn't his fault that Mavis died. "But, she isn't dead. That I promise you." Mavis said with a small smile.

"Are you sure?" Natsu asked. "Cause she looks dead to me." He added, squinting at the form of Lucy. "I mean, why else would she just fall to the floor completely motionless… I mean besides the fact that's what weird people do, and that Lucy's pretty weird. But seriously, all I did was kiss her!" Natsu shouted. "LUCY! I'M SO SORRY!" Natsu cried, as he dropped to his knees in despair.

"Natsu."

"WHY!"

"Natsu!"

"I'M SO SORRY!"  
"NATSU!" Lucy screamed at him. Natsu looked at her, and happy tears started to stream down his face.

"LUSHEE!" he cried, and tried to hug her, but Lucy held out her hand and Natsu's face went straight into it.

"Get off me!" Lucy shouted and pushed him away. "…Sorry. You just startled me." As if not remembering what happened the first time, Natsu flung himself at Lucy again and this time succeeded in wrapping his arms around her. Lucy sighed at his childishness and patted him on the back.

"At this rate we'll never reach your guild." Zeref said, like a knife cutting the happy moment in half.

"Why did you have to ruin the perfect moment!" Mavis cried with a pout. They all glared at him. Zeref looked nervously at his newly found friends.

"S-sorry… I was just saying, and you know I just wondered if we were going to go any time soon." He finished in a barely audible whisper. They all groaned and got to their feet. They decided they were going to go to the next town over and get a hotel. Lucy was the only one who brought money as, Mavis was a ghost and didn't need any money, Zeref was the evilest wizard in the world and had no need for something as mortal as money either, and Natsu was simply too stupid to bring any money.

"I expect to be payed back…" Lucy mumbled. Natsu sighed and shrugged. "… I only have enough for one room, but I can get two beds. Mavis and I will sleep together and you two will sleep together, understand?"

"Yes."

"But Lushee!" Natsu cried. "I don't want to sleep with him! I sleep with you every night!" Natsu's outburst caused several people to look at the couple strangely. Zeref chuckled nervously.

"Don't mind us… we're just bystanders…" Zeref said, looking at all the people looking at them.

"Excuse me… but is there a problem here." One of the staff asked.

"He's harassing me!" Lucy cried, pointing at Natsu.

"You're my mate! It's my job to harass you!"

"NO IT ISN'T! AND JUST WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY MATE? MATE! JUST SAY GIRLFRIEND LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"

"… I think you forget that he's not a normal person." Mavis mumbled.

"SHUT UP!" Lucy and Natsu cried at the same time.

"SHUT UP! ME? SHUT UP!" Mavis screeched at the top of her lungs.

"H-honey, brother, Lucy-san please calm down." Zeref said nervously.

"I WILL NOT TAKE THEM SHUTTING ME UP!" Mavis screeched, and threw herself into their verbal battle. Zeref stood and watched as each of them tried to kill the other. The staff members were too scared to step in, and Zeref couldn't blame them. He was a little scared to step into their battle himself. Even Zeref was having trouble believing that he, the most dangerous villain in mage history was too scared to stop an argument. In his defense his girlfriend was arguing too.

"I hope you have to look at Zeref's ugly face for the rest of your life!" Lucy yelled.

"ONLY I GET TO LOOK AT HIS UGLY FACE FOR THE REST MY LIFE!" Mavis shouted.

"I hope Zeref curses you with his ability to wear ugly dresses!" Natsu screamed at the top of his lungs, not sure which one of them he wanted Zeref to curse so he figured he just wanted them both to be cursed.

"I can't help but feel I'm the one they're insulting…" Zeref said with a sigh.

"WHAT!" they all yell turning to face him. Zeref cowered in any corner he could find.

"Um… nothing?" he whispered uncertainly. They all seemed to stare at him for the longest time before they burst into laughter.

"This argument is pointless." Mavis giggled. Lucy rolled her eyes.  
"I suppose it is… you didn't hear me call you ugly… did you?" she added. Zeref slowly nodded his head. "Well, sorry… I was just angry, and I didn't… well I did mean it… but I didn't mean to say it to your face… sorry?"

"Apology not excepted." Zeref grumbled unhappily. Lucy pouted and the four of them made their way down the hall to their little hotel room.

"Also, you're not sleeping with me." Lucy said.

"BUT LUSHEE!" Natsu cried.

"Here we go…" Zeref mumbled as he opened the door with his key card. Mavis tried to reason with them and got mad because they told her to shut up. And they all three started to walk in with Zeref, but before they even got two steps toward the door Zeref slammed it after him. he also had the extra keycard.

"Hey Zeref… I think you accidently locked us out." Lucy said.

"That's true… accept for the accidently part." Zeref said with a triumphant grin. Although, no one could see because… he locked them out of the room **they **payed for! By "them" he meant Lucy, but who really cared?

"Zeref, let us in!" Natsu whined.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't hear you over all your insults. Guess I'll never know what you were saying." Zeref said in fake sadness.

"Zeref Dragneel you let us in right now!" Mavis shouted. "Or you will pay!" Zeref had no doubt that he would, although for right now he had won. And it was very peaceful. And Zeref was happy. And when he came out the next morning he saw them all sleeping in a pile beside the door.

"Aw, you guys look adorable." Zeref chirped happily… and then he was beat up, and despite being immortal… he was sure the beating had left many scars. Some on the inside, but most on the outside. And Natsu, Mavis, and Lucy stood over him with terrifying looks on their faces. Natsu bent over close to his face and growled in a deep voice with a scowl on his face.

"What have we learned?" Natsu asked.

"That you are all maniacs." Zeref responded.

"Very good." Natsu said happily as Lucy shouted,

"That was not the message we were trying to get across at all!" Natsu shrugged and Mavis giggled… and then she twisted Zeref's arm out of it's socket and left him there, howling in pain and left Natsu and Lucy there, looking terrified.

"What have we learned?" she asked.

"THAT YOU'RE TERRIFYING!" Natsu and Lucy shouted.

"That you're the most maniacal of them all." Zeref answered. Lucy and Natsu looked at him with looks of horror. "… In my defense, I already knew she was terrifying." And that's when Zeref blacked out.

* * *

**A/N Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed this. This was a fic I made about a year ago when I was stressed and beaten from working on my original tales. So, this was meant to be a oneshot yet I continued it over the years so I have more written if you want to see more. I guess I'll post another chapter if you guys want another or if I'm bored and have nothing else to update. So, reviews/follows/favorites are all welcome and appreciated. If you want to see more, tell me. Otherwise, bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter title: Of Black Wizards, Pasts, and Anything but Truth or Dare

* * *

When Zeref awoke he was on Natsu's back and Natsu was complaining about how heavy he was.

"Natsu, you think everybody's heavy." Lucy said. "I mean, you think I'm heavy, and I'm the lightest person in the world!"

"… Zeref could gain another 200lb and he'd still be lighter than you Lucy." Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say because Lucy pounced on him. Zeref couldn't find it in ice-cold heart to even find pity for the fire dragon slayer… as he had used all his pity on himself. Zeref pushed himself off Natsu's back right before Lucy tackled him to the floor. The two-hour trip back to Magnolia had already taken a full day's worth. If things were going to keep happening like this then it would take a full week for them to reach the outskirts of Magnolia, and probably another day to reach the center. Zeref considered knocking them all out, but then he'd have to carry them all. Also, he doubted Lucy had enough money for a weeks' worth of hotels, meals, etc. Zeref growled in annoyance at the two.

**"****WOULD YOU JUST KNOCK IT OFF AND CONTINUE ON WITHOUT ARGUMENT, AND BE SILENT FOR ONCE IN YOUR SHORT, SHORT LIVES, THAT ARE ABOUT TO BECOME EVEN SHORTER IF YOU CONTINUE TO ARGUE!" **Zeref roared, eyes glowing red. Natsu and Lucy looked at him, positively petrified.

"W-w-we're s-sorry." Natsu whimpered, trying to hide behind Lucy. Zeref continued to glare sharply at them.

"JUST HURRY UP!" He growled. Natsu and Lucy nodded quickly and started to run in the direction of Magnolia. Zeref's gaze burning holes through their back. Natsu and Lucy shivered.

"H-he's scary… let's not make him mad again." Lucy whispered. Natsu nodded his head enthusiastically, thinking his brother had been about as terrifying as Erza back there. Natsu supposed that was his brother's inner black mage shining through. He seemed to be a little bit of Mira and Erza. Happy and adorable one moment, that was Mira's side, and a raging demon the next for what Natsu deemed ridiculous reasons. He had Mira's calmness until he was angered and then became like Erza, who was even more terrifying than Mira… and the two of them together made a monster, no, a demon, no, there were not words strong enough to describe what terrifying being they made together… although, Natsu supposed that terrifying being had to be Zeref, as he was the two of them put together… if Natsu really thought about it. Everything he'd just thought didn't really make any sense.

"I-I agree." Natsu whimpered quietly, as the two kept a brisk pace. Zeref and Mavis were walking side-by-side, although Mavis distanced herself from him, which was probably smart, because he was literally radiating death. Lucy and Natsu could still feel him glaring daggers at them. His posture was ridged and ready to destroy all that walked in his way. Neither Lucy nor Natsu ever wanted to see an enraged Zeref again and couldn't wait till he went back to being shy and timid and agreeable. Because right now he looked nothing less than a crazy, murderous psycho… just like his girlfriend could be. Natsu was starting to see why those two were compatible.

They arrived in Magnolia just an hour later after they departed from their lovely hotel. Zeref was very pleased they had made it to the guild without further incident.

"Now remember, some members of the guild won't be as…wonderfully nice as we are." Natsu said.

"If you people are nice, then I fear to see what mean is… after all, in the course of two days, I have been triad, nearly killed, threatened, nearly kissed by my own brother, been beaten within an inch of my life, been terrified for my life, just so you know I didn't think that was possible, I have been called ugly, and looked at as if I were stupid, I have been called heavy, which translates to fat, and I HAVE HAD MY ARM RIPPED OUT OF IT'S SOCKET! What I'm trying to say, is I think I can handle these people… unless they are all as horrible as you, then I might take Mavis up on her offer to punch me to death." Zeref said looking horribly unamused. Natsu laughed nervously and Lucy looked utterly guilty. Mavis gave him an apologetic smile as if that would make up for RIPPING HIS ARM OUT OF IT'S SOCKET!

"S-sorry."

"That only makes things worse." Zeref said, glaring at the trio. Tears stung the corners of Lucy's eyes.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry." She said.

"If you think tears work then you're out of luck."

"Darn it!" Lucy said, while pouting. Mavis wrapped her arms around his torso and tilted her head to kiss his cheek. Zeref glared at her.

"You missed." He said plainly. Mavis giggled and kissed his lips.

"I'm sorry." She said. Did she really think kissing him was going to make up for RIPPING HIS ARM OUT OF IT'S SOCKET?... well, if she did, then she was right. Zeref finally smiled at her.

"No fair!" Natsu cried. "She's got girlfriend privileges! It's not like we can kiss him and make it better!" Natsu complained. Zeref's eyes twinkled brightly.

"Says who?" Zeref asked. the two sighed. Lucy quickly snapped out of her depression. She practically bounced up to him and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"I'm sorry Zeref." Lucy said in the same fashion that Mavis had.

"Apology excepted!" Zeref said enthusiastically. Natsu groaned and walked sluggishly up to Zeref.

"I am not kissing you." Natsu growled. Zeref just smiled and opened his arms and Natsu rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around his brother.

"My bad." Natsu said nonchalantly.

"That is not a formal apology!" Lucy yelled. Zeref just patted the ball of pink hair on Natsu's head and said,

"I accept all your apologies and am happy that you finally admit that you were not very nice at all." Zeref said. "Also, I want that kiss Natsu, you're not getting out of it." Natsu whimpered and laid a quick kiss on Zeref's cheek. "Brother!" Zeref cried out in happiness and wrapped his arms around him. Natsu cried out and struggled Zeref's grip. "Natsu! Is hugging me really so terrible?" Zeref asked, pouting. Natsu sighed and looked Zeref in the face.

"I guess not, but I'm going to tell you something and I need you not to freak out."

"… Okay."

"Pouting is too good a look for you… don't do it. It makes you look like a kid." Zeref pouted again. "Don't look at me like that!" Zeref's eyes got big and innocent. "N-no…" Natsu said

"I like to look like a kid believe it or not… it helps me get out of jail." Natsu face looked strained. Then he gripped Zeref from behind. "What are you doing?" Zeref asked. Natsu grinned and shouted with a maniacal look.

"Hug of love! With tickles!" he shouted, and Zeref started to scream when Natsu started to tickle him, while he had been in trapped in his arms and was completely helpless. "This is what you get for trying to play cute with me!" Mavis and Lucy looked at them, unamused and decided to go in the guild hall to be greeted. Natsu tickled Zeref until he felt him go limp, panting from exhaustion. Natsu went limp too and grinned wildly.

"You are not my brother!" Zeref panted. "You are simply too wild." Zeref grinned at him. Natsu smiled back with a mischievous grin.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Natsu asked. Zeref sighed and looked toward the blue sky.

"I almost wish I wasn't." Zeref said. "But I'm your brother. Of course, I know what you're thinking… I was this close to winning that war and-."

"Don't you dare go on about that." Natsu warned. "… Also, that was not what I was thinking." Zeref smiled sheepishly at Natsu and shrugged.

"I know." Zeref said. "… it's just-."

"Here we go again."

"-I really think I could've won that with just a little more planning."

"You talk about it as if it's a chess game."

"It kind of was. It kind of is." Natsu scowled.

"Playing with people's lives is not a chess game." Natsu growled. Zeref looked at his hands.

"… It kind of is… when you live for eternity." Zeref whispered. Natsu hesitated.

"… Well, you don't think like that anymore, do you?" Zeref looked uncomfortable.

"…Well…" Natsu glared and clenched his fists. He seriously thought about punching Zeref. Natsu had never had great impulse control so, he punched Zeref.

"Don't you dare start talking like that again!" Natsu still couldn't get over the fact of what he felt when Zeref started talking about people as if they were pawns in a game he played.

(flashback)

"Zeref! This is the end!" Natsu shouted.

"How ironic, E.N.D." Zeref said. Natsu glared at him. he shook his head. He didn't understand. This was his brother. How could Natsu be so good and Zeref be so bad, when they both had the same blood coursing through their veins. It only proved that blood was not always thicker than water. Because now, it hardly seemed like they were brothers and Natsu couldn't bring himself to fathom it.

"I'm gonna take you down, and you are never going to hurt my friends again!"

"And what if I hurt one of your friends before you take me down? Then what'll you do?" Zeref asked, eyes red, lips tugged into a triumphant smirk. Natsu glared at him and clenched his fists. Natsu looked Zeref straight in the eye and said.

"Then I will never forgive you."

"Hah! I don't need your forgiveness when I have an eternity of solitude ahead of me. What's one human's opinion against all the rest? Not that it will be against all the other opinions. What I meant to say was, what's one human's opinion worth when they side with all the other people in the world for the exact same reason! The reason is they realize I'm a being of which they cannot fathom! They fear what they cannot control and-."

"No! they fear those who destroy them!"

"So, what? Who cares about the reason?"

"I do! I don't side with them because I think you're some powerful being! I don't side with them because I'm scared of you either! I side with them because they're right to think you're just as bad as all the history books say you are! But that's not all! I side with them because you're hurting my friends! And that is a hard thing for me to forgive!" Zeref scoffed.

"Don't you mean impossible?"

"No! I mean hard! Because they're tons of people that've hurt my friends. And now, some of them are my friends! I'm sure you could be my friend too… if you stopped." Zeref glared viciously at Natsu. Death started to surround him in his fury.

"YOU THINK I WANT YOU AS A FRIEND! I DON'T WANT FRIENDS!" Zeref screamed.

"Everyone wants friends."

"You are only going off experience. You only say everyone wants friends because you've never met someone who doesn't. and now that you've met that person you refuse to acknowledge it!"

"I don't believe that for a second." Natsu says. "You want friends! I can see it in your eyes that you're lonely."

"I don't want friends… just because I'm lonely doesn't mean I want friends… it only means I don't have them."

"And are sad because of it! That's what lonely means!"

"WELL I'D RATHER BE LONELY THEN DESTROY THESE IMAGINARY FRIENDS YOU SPEAK OF!" Zeref shouts. Natsu looks Zeref in the eye and says,

"It's okay to love someone." He says quietly.

"NO, IT'S NOT!" Zeref cried. "Not for me." He added quietly. "And it wouldn't matter. I would still destroy you… I WILL DESTROY YOU!" There was a flash of red.

"If you were an ordinary wizard, would you want friends?"

"Of course… but if I were an ordinary wizard… then I wouldn't be me now, would I? and of course, you wouldn't be you, because you would be dead."

"YOU THINK I WANTED TO BE SOME UGLY DEMON THAT HURT MY FRIENDS?" Natsu roared. "WELL I DON'T! YOU SHOULD'VE LEFT ME FOR DEAD, BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT THIS!" this seemed to break Zeref out of his mode to destroy.

"You didn't… want it? You didn't… want the life I gave you?"

"Well…"

"You didn't want all the sacrifices I made? Do you mean… all I've gone through to try to give you happiness till now was… wasted. YOU MEAN I SOLD MY SOUL FOR NOTHING? YOU MEAN I KILLED THE WOMAN I LOVED FOR NOTHING! YOU MEAN I ACCEPTED A CURSE TO DESTROY LIFE WHEN I DARE LOVE IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO RESSURECT SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T WANT THE LIFE THAT I DIED FOR?" Zeref screeched. "You mean… my entire life was… was…" Zeref couldn't bring himself to say it. "… nothing. My entire life was nothing." Zeref started to say it in a statement and then started to laugh hysterically. "Oh, they must've planned this… I was condemned before eternity even began, wasn't I? because there's no way my entire life could be nothing for… nothing." And then he started to cry. "I suppose this is a fitting end for someone like me… I suppose I deserve this, although I really should've considered this possibility ages ago. That my life could really be so meaningless…" there had always been one question floating around inside his twisted mind. One question that no book he dissected could answer. That question was why? And that why was a lot of things, but the most frequented why question of them all was, why was I born? Why was I born into this world where only my oblivious family had loved me, unknowing that they were loving a parasite. That was really all he saw himself as. A parasite that sucked the life from object after object, and really never understanding why. Because now he knew it was more than just the world was rejecting him. it was as if reality itself thought him a disease of what was otherwise a perfect world with a balance of good and evil. The world didn't deserve him. It was often thought by Zeref that the world was cruel, but now he wasn't kidding himself anymore. He was the cruel one. The horrid one. The one that not even death wanted, and life hated from the moment he was born. And yet the world smiled down on his opposite. On his little brother. The world had always loved him, and he loved the world in return. Natsu thought he knew of evil, but Zeref knew that this was merely a skewed visage of the real thing. He knew this, because you could never fully understand what evil was until you were it. And Zeref had been it for the longest time. It couldn't be helped. Zeref knew it couldn't be helped. It was all meaningless. He even knew of what meaningless meant though even that meant nothing to him.

Natsu watched as the man before him, his enemy, his brother, seemed to wilt from the knowledge of this. Natsu felt a pang in his heart and he quickly waved his hands back and forth. "Don't get me wrong, I love living… but I just… don't want to be a demon. Truly, I love the life you've given me, no one has ever or will ever give me a greater gift." Natsu said quickly. "But if you had given me the choice to live again I would've denied it."

Zeref sniffed. "Why?" he asked. Natsu smiled softly, for the first time in what he thought was a very long time.

"Well, because of you, silly. I love this life, but if I had ever known that you would become like this, I would've instantly declined your offer."

"How do you know I wasn't always like this?" Zeref asked.

"I can just feel it. Okay, you don't have to fight us anymore. I can help you."

"Help me? You mean, you can finally end my existence in this world?" Zeref asked ecstatically, although he masked that happiness. Natsu grimaced.

"Well, of course not." Natsu said. "I can help you find friends. All you have to do is stop." Natsu added. Zeref hesitated.

"I don't want friends." Zeref said.

"Oh, shut up." Natsu said. "Yes, you do, you're just afraid you'll hurt them, and I promise you don't have to be anymore." Zeref narrowed his eyes at Natsu, a thoughtful look, full of scrutiny on his face.

"… How are you going to do that?" Zeref asked.

"By lifting the curse of course! I don't know how to do it yet, but I promise you I'll find a way… we'll find away."

"… I'm going to destroy you." Zeref said and glared. Natsu sighed he looked pleadingly at Zeref.

"Please tell me it doesn't have to go that way." Zeref just stared at his younger brother, although secretly he was surprised. Natsu and don't want to fight didn't exactly fit together in the same sentence… unless it was, I don't want to fight because Natsu challenged me. But Natsu genuinely looked as if he didn't want to fight. Zeref glared at him.

"There is no way I'm just going to hand over my victory." Natsu sighed.

"Fine, I guess I'll fight you. Although, I'm warning you you'll lose, and you might never walk again, and you certainly will never cross me."

"No, I won't. cause hopefully, after this battle I will be dead." Zeref said. Natsu frowned at him and lit his fists of flames. Lucy ran into the castle where the brothers were fighting and watched in horror as brutal punches and kicks were thrown. Neither was holding back which made for quite the spectacle. Although, Lucy and no one else thought of it that way. In the end Natsu defeated Zeref, looking very ill, and stood over him.

"You see? I won." Natsu said smugly. Zeref just looked to the sky, tears streaming down his face.

"I didn't die? I didn't die!" his last resort had failed. Zeref's fingers twitched. He knew he was going to be even more insane now, and the worst part was he didn't care. Zeref started to sob as Natsu collapsed beside him

"Hey, don't cry." Natsu said.

"And why ever not?" Zeref sobbed. "Everything is ruined. You won… and I'm not dead."

"You know, most people would be happy about that."  
"But I'm not! I'm not most people, I am Zeref, the black wizard. I am Spriggan the king of Alverez. I am the cursed man who wanders the earth." He sobbed.

"… Well, what ever happened to plain old Zeref Dragneel?" Natsu asked. Zeref stared at him, waterworks still working.

"I-I don't understand."

"What's there to understand?"

"He died." Zeref said simply. "Zeref Dragneel died a long time ago." Zeref said bitterly and didn't look Natsu in the eye. He couldn't bear it. Lucy and all Natsu's friends walked towards the two and all were surprised when Natsu enveloped Zeref in a hug. Zeref was the most surprised of them all. Natsu gave Zeref one of his signature goofy grin and said.

"Well, that shouldn't matter. After all, you've proved that anyone can be resurrected." Natsu said as he wiped Zeref's tears away.

"Yeah, as a demon." Zeref replied coldly.

"Do I look like a demon to you?" Natsu asked innocently.

"Yes."

"Don't lie."

"… Kind of…" Natsu gave him a look.

"… Okay no! you are the cutest little boy I've ever seen!" Zeref exclaimed. Natsu giggled like the child he was and rested his head on Zeref's shoulder.

"The sky's nice, huh." Natsu said quietly.

"Yeah, I suppose."

"And it looks even nicer when you join Fairytail and have a family to love and admire it with you." Zeref snorted.

"When cats fly." Natsu just smiled softly at the sky.

"Then I think you'll be joining Fairytail a lot sooner than you think." Zeref stared at his brother and felt his heart beat. It was pumping blood. Zeref hadn't felt his heartbeat in the longest time. But this. The moment he felt his heart beat he smiled. He always needed the reminder that he was still human. Unlike other people the heart didn't remind him he was alive, it reminded him he was human. He knew all to well that he was alive, but the fact that he was human always amazed him. Zeref always expected his heart to be gone. Not replaced by anything, just simply gone. The familiar action came to him. he should feel his heart. Just to remind him that he was human. However, Zeref didn't need to do that when he was right here. Right now. With his brother, and his friends closing in. he didn't need to feel his heartbeat to remind him. it was strange, but when he was close to Natsu and the people that cared about him he knew he was human. Natsu reminded him that he was human. Because without even realizing Natsu had been his very heart for so long. "Zeref I want you to meet my everything." Natsu said. "These are the people I would die for." Natsu said grinning. "Who would you die for?"

"For the longest time Natsu Dragneel it was you, but not anymore." Zeref said. "You aren't the person I would die for, because now I would die for anyone. No, you are not the person I would die for… you're the person I would live for… because you're the only reminder I have left that I am still human. My heart beats only while yours does." Zeref said.

"… you might think that's sweet, but honestly it's a little creepy. It sounds very unhealthy… I think you should see someone."

"I only mean that I love you very dearly." Zeref said.

"Well, then why didn't you say so?" Natsu asked. Zeref looked up at him very nervously. Zeref bit his lip.

"Because I'm afraid." He said. Natsu looked very confused at this. He hummed a little.

"How come?"  
"Because… I'm afraid you won't love me back…"

"That's never happened before… has it?"

"…" Zeref was deathly silent. Natsu looked at him sadly and Zeref narrowed his eyes. "I do not need nor; do I want your pity." Zeref growled. Natsu grinned.

"No, it's not that. Just tell me that you love me." Natsu said. "You'll never be able to get over this fear if you never face it." Natsu added. Zeref frowned and took a deep breath. He didn't express any emotions well. Zeref was deathly afraid of how this could end.

"I… I love you." Zeref said and cringed at the awful monotone that droned in his voice like a parasite on a parasite. Natsu just grinned and hugged him tight as he could.

"I love you too!" Natsu said ecstatically. "See! It's not so hard!" He said with a triumphant grin. Zeref smiled shyly at him and asked one of the stupidest question he had ever asked.

"Y-you do?" he wondered, not quite believing how quickly it had all changed.

"Of course." Not long ago Zeref had been threatening him. Zeref wanted to be sure. People had betrayed Zeref before. He didn't want to feel that kind of heartache ever again. "Yeah, I do." Natsu again. "Of course, I do. we're brothers. We have to love each other, it's practically law! But I also love you because I just do… you're very lovable." Natsu said and leaned his head down as his friends drew even closer and were starting to call his name. Zeref thought they were really slow walkers. "I'll introduce you to them." Natsu said.

"I don't know."

"Well, I do! you want to join Fairytail right?" Natsu asked. Zeref looked at him uncertainly.

"I-I…"

"Of course, you do!" Natsu cried.

"I never actually said that!"

"Well do you?" Zeref slowly nodded. Natsu gave another of his grins and he grabbed Zeref's hand firmly in his own as if giving the silent promise that he would never let go. "Well, you want to join Fairytail. So, come on!"

(End of flashback)

Zeref flew back and held the side of his face that Natsu had punched. He looked back up, tears threatening to fall. Natsu gave a giant sigh. "Sorry." He said. "It's just, I get mad when you start talking about winning the war, because I know winning the war doesn't mean… beating us. To you, winning that war was dying, and I don't want that." Natsu said and walked towards his brother. "We promised never to talk about the war again."

"Why? So, we can pretend it didn't happen?" Zeref asked, looking hysterical. "So, we can pretend I didn't kill all those people?"

"No."

"THEN WHY!" Zeref shouted.

"So, we can pretend we were always brothers."

"BUT WE WEREN'T!" Zeref cried. "WE WEREN'T ALWAYS BROTHERS. I KNOW YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT. BUT ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS NORMAL! I WAS HAPPY! AND YOU WERE… YOU WERE… NATSU DRAGNEEL… you were plain old Natsu Dragneel. But like plain old Zeref Dragneel he died a long time ago. And now you're Natsu Dragneel, Salamander of Fairytail. And Salamander of Fairytail made a life without a brother named Zeref Dragneel." Zeref said. "You don't need me here… I don't belong here, in this new life you've made without me."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've never needed you. But I want you to be here. And that's what makes it special. It's so much more powerful to want someone rather than need them. I don't need you Zeref. I want you here, as my brother, as my friend, as my family. And I don't want you to ever talk about dying again, therefore the war. Not to pretend it didn't happen. Not to pretend you didn't do horrible things. Not even to pretend we were always brothers. To know that you don't want to die anymore. It's almost sad that you don't remember what love feels like."

"Yes, I do! how could I forget what love feels like when I kill everything when I feel it!"

"No, I don't mean that you don't remember what it feels like to love other people. I mean I'm sure you've forgotten what it feels like for other people to love you." Natsu said and Zeref couldn't deny it. That was the worst part. He couldn't deny it. He couldn't deny that's how he felt. Zeref didn't know when people did or did not love him. "Don't dwell on everything so much, okay?" Zeref glanced at Natsu.

"Okay." He whispered quietly. Natsu grinned and quickly embraced Zeref.

"Good to know you're trying." Natsu said. Zeref nodded and wiped his tears away. "Sorry again, for punching you. It wasn't the right thing to do just then."

"No, it's… it's okay." Zeref whispered. "I deserved that."

"Hah! You sure did!" Natsu cried. Zeref pouted.

"Don't push it!" Zeref cried. Natsu chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. Now, let's go inside. Last time they saw you they didn't react very well, so, let's hope it's better this time. Also, try to lay low and be very nice, and agreeable." Zeref nodded as if mentally noting everything. Natsu paused and a look of realization crossed his face. "You know what, you do that anyway, so I guess what I'm saying is, be yourself." Natsu smiled. Zeref pouted again.

"I am not like that all the time! I am the evil black wizard. I am mean and argumentative and-."

"Zeref, you are stupid." Zeref grimaced.

"Really? How do I stop being stupid?"

"You see!"

"See what?"

"Any normal person would've said, I'm not stupid, you stupid fool! But you asked me if I really thought that, and how you could improve on not being stupid. I mean seriously, who on Earth does something like that?" Zeref sighed.

"I guess… I agreed again, didn't I?"

"Yes." He groaned and looked at the guild hall.

"Okay, I'm ready."

"You sure?"

"Am I?"

"Yes, yes you are." Natsu said.

"Oh, okay… I did it again, DARN IT!"  
"Not only that, but you asked my permission."

"I'm sorry!" Natsu just gave Zeref a blank look.

"And now you've apologized for asking permission. To be honest, your kind of creeping me out." Zeref opened his mouth to apologize but closed it and slapped himself before he could apologize. "And now you're literally beating yourself up about it." Natsu said incredulously. In fact, it seemed that Zeref was being agreeable just because Natsu said he was… which was on a whole new level of agreeable. A level of which was freaky. And then they entered the guild hall.

The first thing Natsu saw was a foot flying towards his face. This was the normal greeting Natsu got whenever he entered the guild hall, so it didn't hit him. he ducked, and the foot hit Zeref instead who had been coming in behind Natsu. "Oops." Gray said looking at Zeref who held his bloody face in his hands. "Sorry, that was meant for him." Gray jutted a thumb out at Natsu. Natsu glared at Gray a balled his hands into fists.

"Just you wait ice princess! I'm gonna beat your face in!"

"Not before I beat yours in flame brain!" they both glared at each other and slammed their foreheads together. "You'll be sorry! Just you wait!" Gray cried.

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try!" then fists of ice and flames were thrown, and Zeref ended up in the middle of it.

"They never change." Lucy said with a sigh. Mavis frowned worriedly.

"Do you think Zeref will be okay, I mean… this is his first fight with Fairytail. He doesn't know how rough it can get."

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Lucy answered.

"Yeah, probably, I just hope they don't hit his face to much. I don't know about you, but I'd rather kiss lips that aren't split… also, bruises aren't exactly a fashion choice." Lucy shrugged.

"It shouldn't be too long before it gets too rowdy and Erza beats them up for causing destruction to the guild hall."

"… That's exactly what I'm worried about." Mavis said to Lucy. Lucy suddenly looked worried for Zeref's safety too. All they could do was look on helplessly as the strict red-head marched toward them. Erza grabbed Natsu and Gray's heads and slammed them together mercilessly. Then she turned her glare on Zeref who smiled nervously at her.

"And why are you here?" Erza asked. "And how did you end up rough-housing with these two buffoons?"

"Uh… I'm really sorry Miss Erza…" Zeref said. Erza raised an eyebrow.

"Miss Erza?" she seemed to be day-dreaming about something.

"Um… Miss Erza, are you alright?"

"Yes!" I'm fine Erza said, snapping back to reality. "And um… just Erza will do…" Erza said. She smiled and seemed to forget her earlier rage. Zeref wondered what he had said to stop her from beating him up further. "And I'm sure, that the reason you were caught up in the fight was entirely Natsu and Gray's fault, am I right?"

"Well… I don't want to make it seem that way…" Zeref said slowly. "… But um, they did throw the first punch." Zeref added. Natsu gave Zeref a look that said, "how could you?" Zeref just shrugged in a non-committal way.

"W-what? It's not my fault! It was Gray's!" Natsu exclaimed at the same time Gray did. They both glared at each other. Erza sighed and bent lower to glower in their faces.

"Let me make this one thing very clear. If I ever see you fighting with an innocent bystander in the middle, then I promise you will never see the light of day again. do you understand?" Erza asked so calmly it was scary. Natsu and Gray nodded their heads rapidly and Erza stood up to her full height again. "Good, now it's time for punishment." Erza said glaring.

"NO!" Natsu and Gray cried but had enough sense to not run away from the inevitable.

"Now, hold still. I want to see how far I can bend you!" Erza growled and balled her hands into fists. Natsu and Gray let out one last whimper before they were sent into a spiral of nothing but pain. Lucy and Mavis watched, sweat-dropping and Zeref snuck away from the grotesque scene. He walked over to the only other familiar faces in the room, which was Lucy and Mavis.

"I'm so glad you didn't get beat up!" Mavis said with a smile. "After all, if Erza beat you up then I'd be out of a job now, wouldn't I?" Mavis said. Zeref chuckled nervously and nodded. Mirajane smiled at the trio and asked,

"Would you like anything?" all three shook their heads. However, Mira didn't just leave it at that. She rested a finger on her chin and looked thoughtful. She was looking right at Zeref. "Forgive me, but I think I've seen you somewhere before. I just don't quite remember your name." Mirajane said with a slight frown. Mavis and Lucy looked at each other, wondering if they should remind Mirajane of who she was currently talking to. They both looked at Zeref who was looking at his hands and twiddling his thumbs.

"Um… Mira if we tell you, you cannot freak out. Okay?" Mira looked at them strangely but nodded.

"Okay." She said, smiling.

"Mirajane, you remember Zeref, right?" Lucy said. Mira nodded "Well… this is him." Lucy added, pointing not-so-subtly at the boy next to her and Mavis. Mira looked astonished, and apparently the rest of the guild heard her because everyone, even Gray and Erza turned to look at the three. It seemed none of them had recognized Zeref even though they fought against his army just a month before… probably because they were all forgetful idiots.

"Wasn't he supposed to be locked up by now?" Gray asked, glaring. He too, hadn't remembered Zeref. Because he was the most forgetful idiot of them all… besides Natsu, that is.

"Well, yeah… but you see, we went to the trial and made so much trouble, that the council let him go because they never wanted to see any of us again." Mavis said, smiling apologetically. Gray and every other member of Fairytail glared at Zeref. Zeref flinched under their gaze and finally turned to look at all of them. His breath hitched in his throat and he felt the need to clear it. He wondered how he could possibly apologize for all the things he'd done to these people. He wasn't sure he could.

"Um…" Zeref paused for several seconds. Their gaze was so intense that Zeref wasn't sure if he could handle it. "I… I'm sorry." He managed to get out. "I'm so, so, sorry." He chocked as tears started to form in his eyes. He stared with glassy eyes at all the people that may or may not hate him. as he'd said, he'd never been able to tell. Although, he was pretty sure these people hated him.

"You think that will make everything you've done okay?" Gray asked, glaring. Zeref shook his head.

"N-no! but… nothing I ever say will make what I did okay, but I'm sorry I did it! I should never have done any of it… I'm sorry if what I did hurt you, but for my own reasons I will never regret it!" Zeref cried, tears started to stream down his face. "I'm sorry…" he whispered softly. His entire body shook with grief. Mavis embraced him, and Lucy put a hand on his shoulder. Natsu stood up and literally threw himself on top of Zeref, holding on to him tightly. Mirajane dried the dish more slowly with a smile still on her face. Gray still glared, though not as intensely as before. Erza crossed her arms and had a stern expression on her face.

"Why did you do it? Why did you make all those demons? And what made you decide to kill people?" Gray snarled.

"He didn't decide to do it, popsicle!"

"Well, I didn't know that, ash for brains!" They both glared at each other. Then, they stopped when Erza glared at them.

"Let Zeref explain!" Erza growled. They all looked at Zeref expectantly.

"I made those demons because I thought they might be able to kill me. I wanted to die because everything I love dies. Everything I love dies, because I was cursed. I was cursed because I brought my baby brother back to life. I brought my baby brother back to life because only he could kill me… and because I loved him. and that's basically my life story… I didn't think anyone would use the tower of heaven. And I never meant to release Deliora. I'm so sorry… I had no say in what tartarous did. I didn't… I…" Zeref started to cry harder. "I didn't want this to happen." He cried. Natsu held onto him tighter and Mavis frowned at him.

"How can you stay mad at him? he's just like a baby!" Natsu cried.

"I am not!" Zeref cried and buried his face in Natsu's shirt. Gray raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure about that?" Gray asked. Zeref was silent for a few moments before they all heard a faint,

"Stop bullying me." Natsu laughed and Gray looked scared when Erza gave him a death glare.

"Apologize!" she growled.

"S-sorry." Gray said quickly and waved his hands dismissively. "I didn't mean it." Zeref nodded and mumbled.

"Apology accepted." Zeref said.

They all looked thoughtful, wondering if they should accept Zeref's apology own apology. Mavis, Lucy, and Natsu seemed to forgive him and they were some of the people who were most hurt by Zeref. Of course, Gray and Erza were very hurt by Zeref's actions, but even they looked to be considering it.

"I accept your apology because you seem truly sorry." Erza said, smiling. "… Also, because I like being called Miss Erza." She added. Natsu rolled his eyes and Erza glared at him. the Fairytail members all looked at each other with questioning gazes. "Now, Gray, isn't there something you wanted to say?" Erza asked.

"Mm… I guess I can forgive you… but that doesn't mean we're best buddies."

"Yeah… I understand." Zeref said.

"But, I also have one more question… who's your um… baby brother?" Gray asked.

"Don't you dare tell him." Natsu said glaring. Natsu had said it quickly, but not quick enough.

"Natsu." Zeref blurted then gave an apologetic look towards Natsu. Natsu sighed as Gray started to laugh.

"Yeah, I guess you were always the baby brother type!"

"You take that back!"

"NO!"  
"TAKE IT BACK BEFORE I MAKE YOU!"

"NO!" Gray cried, and they slammed their foreheads together. Before Erza glared at them and asked,

"What did I just say!" she roared. Natsu and Gray slowly backed away from her and started to pretend to be best friends. Zeref wiped his tears away and apologized for getting so emotional… again. Mavis patted his arm and said he didn't need to apologize.

"You're adorable." Mavis said, ruffling Zeref's hair.

"Gah! Don't do that!" Zeref cried and pouted.

"So cute!" Mavis said with a cheeky grin. Natsu laughed.

"Hah! Being babied by his girlfriend." Zeref glared at Natsu for making that comment.

"You better shut up before you start to get babied by your older brother." Zeref growled. Natsu pouted and considered punching Zeref in the face.

"You're so mean!"

"I know it!" Zeref said. Mavis giggled and Lucy rolled her eyes as the two started to bicker.

"Seriously, we can't leave you two alone for a minute without you biting each other's heads off!" Lucy said, exasperated.

"In our defense, you didn't leave us alone." Natsu said dryly.

"Don't get smart with me!" Lucy shouted and grabbed Natsu's hair and pulled him out of the room.

"Please don't do that to me." Zeref pleaded.

"Oh no, of course not honey, I like your hair." Mavis said with a sweet smile. "I can't say the same for your ear…" she added and started to drag him away. Zeref cried out in pain and struggled in Mavis's grip. It didn't help him get free though.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Zeref whined. "It hurts. Somebody help me!" Zeref cried… yeah, everyone ignored him completely and let Mavis drag him away. "Please let go." Mavis considered it.

"Only if you stop fighting with Natsu." Mavis said.

"Okay! Okay!" Zeref cried, struggling. Mavis finally let go of him and grabbed his hand instead. Lucy was not as kind as this and kept dragging Natsu by the hair.

"BUT LUSHEE!" Zeref heard Natsu cry.

"DON'T YOU LUSHEE ME!" Lucy screamed at him. Zeref chuckled nervously.

"I'm glad she's not my girlfriend." Zeref shivered. Mavis smiled at him.

"AND DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO LOOK CUTE!" Lucy cried as Natsu pulled out his, "you can't possibly stay mad at me," face. Lucy sighed and let go of his hair. "Huh… I can never stay mad at you." Lucy said. Natsu grinned at her and cheered childishly. Lucy tried to maintain her scary face, but it was impossible with Natsu grinning at her like that.

"Can we go back to your house? I'm tired!" Natsu whined. Lucy glared again.

"As if! You're going to go to your house with Zeref, 'cause there is no way you're both sleeping at my house."

Yeah, Lucy was wrong about that. Natsu whined and threw such a fit that Zeref made his scary face again and said,

**"****Shut up before I make you!"** Lucy and Natsu shivered and said,

"Aye sir!" they ended up going to Lucy's house and Mavis joined because she didn't want to, "miss out on all the fun." Mavis cheered and said it was like a slumber party, Natsu… started eating Lucy's food, Lucy glared at him, and Zeref offered a coy smile.

"Ugh! Why is it always my house." Lucy complained. They all shrugged. She sighed. "What are we even going to do?" Lucy asked. Mavis perked up.

"Let's play a game!" she cheered.

"Fine, as long as it's not truth or dare." Lucy said. Mavis pouted and stuck her tongue out at Lucy.

"You're no fun!" Mavis said.

"Yeah, yeah." Lucy said, rolling her eyes. Mavis started smirking evilly.

"Well… you said **anything** as long as it's not truth or dare." She said. Lucy slowly nodded, not sure what else to say. "Well then, what do you say having a little competition." She asked.

"W-what kind of competition?" Lucy asked.

"The couple kind. Who's a better couple. You and Natsu, or me and Zeref." Mavis said smirking. She slung an arm around Zeref who looked alarmed at what she was suggesting.

"What?" Lucy shrieked.

"Let's do it!" Natsu cheered. Lucy sighed and blushed heavily.

"Well, what kinds of things are we doing."

"You know, like cute couple stuff." Mavis said. "Hugging, kissing, cuddling. The usual."

"I-I can't…" Lucy paused.

"What's the matter. You scared Zeref and I are going to beat you?"

"No!"

"Then play with us."

"No! Ugh, you are so frustrating!" Lucy whined. Mavis shrugged and smirked.

"So, you in?" Mavis asked. Lucy slowly nodded and clenched her hands into fists.

"… Okay." She said. "Let's do this! But just know that Natsu and I are going to wipe the floor with you!" Lucy cheered.

"Yeah!" Natsu cried.

"Just you wait, it's Zeref and I that will be doing the wiping!" Mavis expected Zeref to cheer like Natsu did but he just twiddled his thumbs and looked anywhere but at Mavis.

"How many rounds are there going to be anyway?" Lucy asked.

"Hmm… 10, I guess that's standard." Mavis said.

"Okay, let's get started then." Lucy said.

"Alright, round 1, holding hands! I figure we should start out simple so we can go bigger." Mavis said. Lucy and Natsu easily slid their hands into one another's and Mavis and Zeref did the same.

"Okay, round 2, hugging!" Lucy cried hugging Natsu tightly. Mavis did the same to Zeref and glared at Lucy. Lucy returned the glare. Zeref and Natsu looked at each other with looks of horror as if to ask, "what have I gotten myself into?"

"Round 3, the cheek kiss." Mavis said. They did the task without complaint, though Zeref's face felt as if it were going to fall off and Natsu blushed.

"Round 4, flirting!"

"No fair, you know I can't flirt!" Mavis wailed and Lucy smirked.

"Is that a cry of defeat I hear?"

"NO!" Mavis cried and turned to Zeref. "Um… I can't flirt, you flirt!" Mavis cried blushing furiously.

"What? I can't flirt either!"

"Natsu, you've got such beautiful hair." Lucy giggled girlishly running her hands through Natsu's hair. Natsu just looked a bit wierded out. Mavis bit her lip. What was she supposed to do? she was hopeless when it came to the flirt department. "And those lips are so kissable." Lucy whispered and ran her thumb along Natsu lips. Mavis couldn't do that!

"Zeref your so um… evil? No, that's not right." Mavis pouted then snapped her fingers and tried to smile at least somewhat like Lucy did. "Drop-dead gorgeous, is what I meant to say." Mavis said, remembering his quote from a few days ago. Lucy pouted.

"I was sure I had that one!" Mavis smiled smugly.

"Well, you thought wrong." she said.

"Round 5, cuddling!"

Lucy sighed, they were only half way through. She and Natsu cuddled on the couch together. Lucy rested her head on Natsu's shoulder and Natsu had his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Natsu…" Lucy whispered.

"Hmm?" Natsu asked.

"You don't smell very good." Lucy said. "Take a bath!" Natsu whined and held Lucy tighter, shaking his head. Lucy groaned and tried to shove Natsu off her.

Mavis and Zeref snuggled together too. Mavis had her arms wrapped around his neck, blushing, and wondering why she had said cuddle.

"Round 6, make your crush laugh!" Lucy said.

"No fair, you know Zeref's emo, so it's practically in the emo handbook not to laugh!" Mavis whined. Lucy stuck out her tongue.

"Don't care!" she said.

"I feel insulted." Zeref said. Natsu put on his "there's no way your gonna make me laugh," face. And Zeref tried to look somewhat happy.

"Okay," Lucy started. "Knock, knock."

"Who's there?" Natsu asked.

"Beats."

"Beats who?"

"Beats me." Lucy said with a shrug and Natsu laughed, of course, even though the joke sucked. Mavis sighed. she had to think of a really funny jo- oh, who was she kidding. She started to tickle Zeref, which by the way, was the only way to make him laugh. He did exactly what she wanted, and Lucy sighed.

"Round 7, forehead kiss!" Mavis said. Lucy and Mavis did this.

"Round 8, come up with a pet name for your crush!" Lucy said. Mavis tapped her chin. "Oh, and you have to make it unique to the person. So, no sweeties, kay?" Mavis nodded and Lucy smirked.

"I've decided to call you Pinky." Lucy said.

"Please no!" Natsu groaned, slouching to the ground in agony. Mavis tapped her chin while staring at Zeref.

"How about… Spriggan."

"Really?" Lucy asked, unconvinced. Mavis shrugged.

"If you can call Natsu Pinky then by all means can I call Zeref Spriggan." Lucy sighed.

"Okay, round 9, lip kiss." Mavis said, smirking. Lucy groaned, her cheeks a deep shade of red. Lucy kissed Natsu, uncertainly. Natsu's lips were hot, as expected by a fire mage, and rough. Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and Natsu surprisingly seemed to be okay with kissing her.

Mavis crossed her arms and pouted. Her face was burning even though she was the one who'd originally wanted them to kiss. She pressed her lips to Zeref's, which were the opposite of his brother's. they were soft and cool. Mavis closed her eyes and enjoyed it. But, it didn't last long because Zeref was freaking out with his hands flailing around, he was unsure of where to put them. Slowly both girls pulled apart and Zeref looked like he would faint whereas Natsu grinned his boyish grin.

"Round 10…" said Lucy breathlessly. "… say, I love you." She said, blushing. She took deep breaths and looked Natsu right in the eye. She took his tanned, rough hands into her pale, smooth ones. "I love you." Lucy said, smiling softly. Meanwhile Mavis stared at Zeref's big black eyes. They stared nervously into hers even though she was the one admitting it.

"I love you too, Lucy." Natsu said, a grin stretching across his face. Mavis stood on tip toe and cupped Zeref's cheek in her hand. She rubbed her thumb lovingly on his face. She smiled softly and whispered admiringly,

"I love you." Zeref stared at her longer before his eyes glassed over with tears.

"I love you too." He managed to choke out and Mavis hugged him tightly. Lucy and Natsu smiled at Zeref and Mavis. And Mavis smiled back at them, but Zeref was too busy wailing like a baby to smile. In the end it hadn't been a game. It had been a confession. And that was better than any competition.

"It's okay, you can stop crying now." Mavis said, patting Zeref's back.

"B-but it's just, I haven't heard it since Natsu said it on the battlefield. And you've never told me that before, so, it's special!" Zeref whimpered, crying harder. Mavis frowned. How could she have been so careless as to never tell him something so important? Mavis gently stroked his hair and said,

"Well, I do." Mavis said. Lucy cooed at them and Natsu whispered,

"Kiss, kiss," under his breath. Mavis gave Natsu a withering glare and he sprung behind Lucy, who rolled her eyes in annoyance. Mavis sighed,

"It's not late, what other games should we play?" Mavis asked.

"Eh, another game?" Lucy asked. Mavis shrugged and said,

"Why not?" Lucy sighed and asked what they should play. Mavis shrugged. Since Lucy didn't want to play truth or dare, she was out of ideas. Natsu lit up with a smirk on his face,

"Let's play, would you rather." Natsu said triumphantly. The girls didn't think much of it, and Zeref was still sobbing, so he didn't get a say.

"Fine. What could be the harm in it?" Lucy said with a shrug. Natsu and Mavis just grinned mischievously at each other. Lucy didn't know just how bad things could get.

"Okay." Mavis said in a sing-song voice. "How do we want to play this?" Mavis asked.

"Let's do it where the person has to do what they say they would rather do, so nothing like suicide." Natsu said, smirking. "How about Mavis starts."

"Okay," Mavis said, "Zeref, would you rather read all your poems, or would you rather kiss Natsu?" Natsu looked at her as if she was the spawn of the devil, and was covering his mouth. Zeref looked like he was going to cry again. and Lucy was very amused. Zeref's eyes searched hers for a hint of sympathy, but there was none.

"Kiss Natsu." Zeref said finally after a long while.

"NO!" Natsu screeched. Zeref got up and kissed Natsu's forehead. Mavis scowled.

"What was that!" she cried. Zeref smirked in a way that made him look like HE was the spawn of the devil… or perhaps it just made him look like Erza… god help them.

"Next time I suggest you make your would you rather clearer. You never said where I had to kiss Natsu, just that I had to kiss him." Mavis growled things under her breath and glared at Zeref. "And now it's my turn." Zeref said. "Lucy, would you rather read us the book you're currently writing, or tell us your most embarrassing moment in vivid detail." Zeref asked. Lucy looked horrified.

"NO!" she cried, looking for some sort of escape. Zeref merely smirked. She sighed, "Fine, my most embarrassing moment was when Natsu found out I had a crush on him while I was talking to Mavis." Zeref sighed because it wasn't juicy gossip of any kind. How disappointing. "Okay, my turn! Natsu, would you rather profess love to Gray or Gajeel?" Natsu looked like he was going to have a heart attack.  
"What?" He asked.

"You heard me." Lucy said without a hint of sympathy.

"Um… can't you ask me if I would rather profess love to them or commit suicide?" Lucy glared.

"Nope." She said.

"Fine… can I text Gray?" Lucy shrugged and nodded. Natsu sent a quick text and Lucy looked at it. It said,

_Hey, we're playing would you rather, and Lucy asked whether I would rather confess love to you or Gajeel, so I chose you because you understand how evil Lucy is better than Gajeel does. So, I love you ice princess, and I hope you reject me because this is just a would you rather game._ Gray responded very quickly.

_I get it, Lucy's evil. Now, I reject you flame brain. I hope she tortures you till you scream, :)_

Lucy groaned at how little Natsu was affected. "My turn!" Natsu cried. "Mavis, would you rather tell us how you first met Zeref in vivid detail, or would you rather sing your favorite song?" Mavis blushed bright red at the thought of singing a song to them. She blushed furiously and started singing. She was pretty bad, but no one dared tell her that. They decided they'd dealt with enough drama from would you rather. And none of them wanted to play another round. So, they all sat in silence for the longest time until Zeref broke the ice with a question that made everyone but Natsu laugh.

"So… is there a love triangle between you, Lucy, and Gray?" Zeref asked. Natsu just looked at him in shock, and Mavis and Lucy dropped to the floor, laughing so hard Lucy's neighbors came to complain about all the noise they were making. All the while Zeref was asking, "What? What did I say?"

* * *

**A/N So, here's another chapter because I've gotten a few people who would like to see more. Now, this is all I have written and the two I posted were actually just one SUPER long manuscript but I broke it up into two parts. So, since this is all I have and I have no ideas for the future, if you want more tell me, give me suggestions, otherwise this is probably it. Also, I'm sorry for the angsty flashback, but it ended fluffy, right? So anyway, if you have suggestions or want this continued review or PM me about it. The ideas can basically be anything. Requirements are that they have to be funny/fluffy, and if they have angst it needs to end fluffy. No tragedies (not for this one). It also (of course) needs to be rated K+ or below. So, thanks for reading reviews/follows/favorites are always welcome. I hope maybe I can continue this sometime in the future and ideas and feedback sure help as it is inspirational. But for now, goodbye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N First of all I would like to give a thanks to Dark007arc for their amazing ideas and who made this chapter possible!**

* * *

Chapter Title: Of Tragic Movies, Double Dates, and Stealing Key Cards

* * *

"Why are you all laughing at me!" Zeref cried, crossing his arms. "I didn't say anything funny!"

"Yes you did!" Lucy cried, her laughter slowly dying down. "It's just that… just that I can't imagine Natsu and Gray…" and then she paused. "Wait… actually I can."

"What!" Natsu asked sharply.

"Nothing." Lucy said, smiling coyly. Though, she really shouldn't be picturing her boyfriend with other people… she just thought gay romance was kind of hot.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what's so unthinkable about it."

"It's just that Natsu and Gray are "rivals for life"." Lucy explained to Zeref.

"That only makes it hot." Zeref said.

"I know, right!"

"Zeref, not you too!" Natsu whined. "It's already bad enough I've SEEN the kind of things Lucy writes about the two of us, I don't need you imagining it too!"

"Wait, you READ my work!"

"Well I've seen the M-rated stuff."

"What's M-rated?" Mavis asked innocently.

"NOTHING!" the other three shouted.

"I wanna see it!" Mavis pouted. Natsu shook his head.

"No, you don't." he said sincerely. "Now that's enough talk about Lucy's weird hobbies." Lucy gave a shout of protest. "I wanna play another game!"

"A game, huh?" Zeref wondered. "It's MY turn to come up with one!" Natsu rolled his eyes,

"Oh great, you're thinking of a ouiji board, aren't you?" Zeref was silent for a long time,

"No." he said finally, smiling nervously. "… not unless Lucy has a ouiji board."

"Sorry, but I don't-."

"Found one!" Mavis said cheerfully, plopping the board down. Lucy wondered how she found that. The young Heartfillia girl was a bit superstisious about things like this. So when she'd gone on a job and the client had given her the board, she immediately went home and hid it. She didn't throw it away though, lest it anger the spirits.

"Ouiji boards are so last season." Natsu complained.

"I agree…" Lucy said nervously, not really wanting to do these things.

"Oh please," Zeref said. "In my youth we'd play with these boards all the time… until our professors took them away lest we anger Ankhersam. Half the time, I felt they just used him as an excuse to stop behavior or games or whatever they didn't like."

"How do you know that?"

"Well they weren't exactly subtle." Zeref muttered. "I haven't seen one in ages! But I would love to have the chance to play with one again!"

"Are you sure you should be risking angering the gods?" Lucy asked.

"Yes. Ouiji boards are fun! I used to talk to Natsu all the time with them!"

"That's kind of creepy…"

"How so?" Zeref asked Natsu. Natsu paused and cleared his throat…

"Ah… well…" how to put it lightly… "You're a freak."

Zeref frowned, "That's not very nice, Natsu. Respect your elders."

"You're not that much older…" Natsu muttered.

"But I'm still older. It's not nice to call people freaks."

"It's not nice to lie either."

The brothers had a mini stare-down. "Can we just get back to spirits?" Lucy asked. She didn't like the idea of a ouiji board, but she liked the idea of war even less.

"I've got an army that could destroy you." Zeref said.

"And I've got a right fist that says you won't even have a chance."

"Uh… guys, stop with the drama thing, please." Mavis said.

"Yeah… well, I've got a right fist that says it's going to beat your right fist!"

"You've gotta have better comebacks, Zer. You suck."

"Again with the insults!"

"Well stop making yourself so perfectly targetable!" Natsu shouted. "If you don't want to be a target, stop acting like a target! That's the best advice I ever gave!"

"Or ever will give." Zeref snorted.

Then all Zeref saw was a blur of pink before Natsu's head slammed into his face, full force, and Zeref blacked out for a few minutes.

"Why did you do that!" Lucy shouted.

"I don't know! His face was just punchable!"

"All faces are punchable that doesn't mean you punch them! He's gonna be so mad when he wakes up, you are going to go through hell Natsu Dragneel!"

"Is it too late to save my soul?" Natsu asked.

"400 years too late." Lucy commented.

"That's not very nice, Lucy." Natsu pouted.

"Neither is punching your defenseless brother."

"He's got two fists!" Natsu protested lightly. Lucy just raised an eyebrow.

"Somehow, I don't think he's going to see it that way." Natsu groaned and didn't even notice Zeref waking up as he was talking animatedly to Lucy about how it WASN'T too late to save his soul and all the reasons why.

"Those are good reasons Natsu. I've only got one reason, but it trumps all those other reasons you have." Lucy said. Natsu scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"One word, Zeref." Lucy said.

"That idiot? Puleeze, that guys weaker then me on a magic mobile, driven by Erza! Or better yet, he's weaker then Edolas me!" Natsu exclaimed. Lucy just shook her head and sighed. "… He's standing right behind me, isn't he?" Natsu asked.

"Yep."

"So, Zeref, when I said as weak as me on a train, what I MEANT was you're as weak as Happy on a train." Natsu explained, turning around, as if Zeref being as weak as Happy was somehow better. "Do you think that saved me?" Natsu whispered.

"Nope." His girlfriend replied. Natsu barely dodged Zeref who flung himself at the younger Dragneel. Zeref looked like he was out for blood. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got an appointment with the dentist!" Natsu said cheerfully and vaulted himself out the window.

"YOU DON'T GO TO THE DENTIST!" Zeref screamed falling out of the window too. Probably breaking his neck, but those were minor details. Zeref didn't look like he cared if he got ran over by a train, especially since he was following Natsu's route through the city, which was probably dangerous for anyone who wasn't Natsu.

"Should we let them go?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, we'll never catch them. Have fun boys!" Mavis shouted cheerfully.

"NOT FUN!" They heard a scream that sounded like Natsu.

"… So, I'll get the ice-cream to mourn Natsu's death."

"I'll get the tragedies!" Lucy called as Mavis went into the kitchen.

(With Natsu and Zeref)

"Natsu how dare you call me that weak! I'm as strong as a horse!"

"I'm still not sure your complimenting yourself!" Natsu called back as he ran.

"Natsu!" Zeref shouted. "You get back here and face the consequences of your actions!"

"NO!"

"Natsu Dragneel, I am going to put your face in the dirt if it's the last thing I do!"

"You're being petty!"

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Am not!"

Natsu skitted to a halt and turned around, only for Zeref to run face first into his chest and keel over. "Are so," Natsu said. "And you were running full force and I didn't even skid back. That's kind of pathetic."

"Don't judge me!" Zeref crossed his arms and pouted. "Not everyone got their brains in muscles." Zeref muttered.

"What was that?"  
"Nothing… but I'm tired. Carry me back." Zeref said.

"Do you have to be such a baby all the time?"

"I'm not a baby, I'm just not a super athelete and my legs feel like jello. Please Natsu." Then the puppy dog eyes.

"We're back." Natsu said when they arrived back at Lucy's apartment.

"I'm guessing you two made up." Lucy said, staring at Zeref on Natsu's back.

"Yeah, we did." Natsu said, shrugging slightly. "He wasn't as mad as I thought."

"Aw, you're just a child. You can't stay mad at a child." Zeref cooed.

"Yes you can." Natsu, Mavis, and Lucy answered bluntly.

"Well I can't." Zeref huffed. "What're you watching?"

"Titanic." Lucy said. Zeref frowned,

"What's a Titanic?"

"Come watch and you'll see. We kind of thought Natsu would be dead by now so…"

"Wait, if you thought I was dead why wouldn't you come after me?"

"How to put this lightly…" Lucy said tapping her chin. "I don't have a death wish." She said. "But you didn't die, so that's in the past. Come watch the movie, we just started it."

By the end of the movie Lucy and Mavis were squeezing each other's hands, sobbing quietly together and Natsu was being used as Zeref's human tissue. He didn't even have time to get teary-eyed because he was too busy being disgust when Zeref wiped his nose and eyes on Natsu's poor, ruined vest. "NO! JACK, WHY!" Zeref cried.

When the credits started rolling Lucy, Mavis, and Zeref were over being sad and were now raging about how he didn't have to die. "If I had been there, I would've smacked the girl off that board and let Jack have it." Zeref said.

"Yeah, but I didn't want her to die either…" Lucy said.

"It was probably just a movie to teach kids the importance of wearing a life-jacket." Natsu said blandly. They all glared at Natsu who through his hands up in defense. "What, it's probably true!" he cried.

"Hey guys, it's late. Why don't you go home." Lucy said.

"Wait, I have an idea." Mavis said cheerfully.

"Great." Lucy said sarcastically.

"We should have a slumber party!" she exclaimed.

"That's great! We could get our hair done and paint our nails." Natsu said girlishly, doing a little pose.

"Yeah!"

"No!" Natsu shouted and crossed his arms. "That stuff is for girls. Right Zeref?"

"Um… yeah, totally."

"Do NOT tell me you have done that stuff before."

"But then I'd be lying…" Natsu just gave his brother an incredulous look, wondering how they were related in any way. "What? I was going through an emo faze where I painted my nails black in order to reject the world." Zeref said.

"I'm guessing the hair was a way of rejecting the world too."

"Yes." Zeref sniffed, crossing his arms.

"I bet Ankhersam had a good laugh."

"He sure did… wait, I mean, no, he didn't!"

"Why do you say "he", Ankhersam could be a girl!"

Zeref took a deep breath and sighed like one did when they were about to talk to a child who had frustrated them. "Lucy." He said slowly. "Ankhersam is the GOD of death. If he was the GODDESS of death, I'd be more inclined to believe that this was a female. But it is a GOD." Lucy opened her mouth to retaliate but was interrupted by Natsu.

"God and Goddess are just words. If there are beings up there that are so much greater than humans that they can control life and death then it is wrong to assume they have human-like qualities and probably do not busy themselves with trivial matters such as whether to appear in a male or female body. Therefore it doesn't matter if we call them a God or Goddess that is just us humans trying to slap labels on what we cannot understand or ever hope to comprehend…"

Everyone paused, staring at Natsu. Zeref looked like he might start crying again he was so proud of Natsu for being smart enough to think like that. "Now let's eat, I'm starving!" everyone sighed. Well, there went the theory that his brother was a secret genius… or maybe Natsu was just trying to hide it so he could remain a secret genius… if it was a secret, anyway. "Why do you guys look so disappointed?" He asked.

"I thought you were actually somewhat smart for a moment." Lucy said with a sigh.

"Nah, I didn't understand half of what I was saying, but by your astonished looks, I'm guessing it was deep. Now, do you have any food in the fridge, Lucy?"

"Not really, you guys always eat it all so I've just learned not to buy stuff at the store because I won't be the one eating it."

"Then we'll just have to go out!" Natsu said cheerfully. The other three just looked at each other because they weren't really hungry but they supposed it didn't matter. If Natsu was hungry, Lucy had learned the hard way that you better feed him.

"Alright, where do you want to go?" Lucy asked.

"The first restaurant we come across! Let's go!" Natsu dashed out of the apartment without even waiting for a reply.

"I guess we have no choice but to follow him." Lucy said with a smile.

"Nope, no choice at all." Mavis cheerfully replied and started skipping after the boy. "Now that I think about it, maybe I am a little hungry…"

"Then I guess we're going to a restaurant." Lucy said. Zeref nodded and they both walked out of Lucy's apartment, with Lucy forgetting to lock the door behind her…

"This is like a double-date thing, isn't it?" Lucy asked.

"What's that?"

Lucy glanced at Zeref, "Do you even know what a date is?"

"… it's the day of a month or year?"

"Um… well, yeah, I guess that's right, but there's another meaning. You do know what marriage is, don't you?"

"Ah, yes. Several of my peers were wives and husbands."

"Several of your peers… weren't you like, really little when going to that school?"

"Yes."

"So… how old were these kids."

"About twelve years old. If I had been interested in having an heir, I too would have been married."

"Wait… so girls had to go to school AND take care of a kid?"

"Not quite. Girls didn't really go to school in my day. Most were too busy raising strong men to fight in the war effort. The only schools open those days were wizarding schools like Miladin academy. Even then, that was only so children could be trained as wizards and then drafted. As for women going to school and taking care of children, most of my peers were male, though out of about 15 students, 1 was usually female. Those women didn't usually have a child yet, in fact, I can't think of one who did… anyway, it was generally frowned upon that women fight in the war effort, but times were so desperate, nobody really cared anymore."

"So… people were getting married and having kids at 12 years old?"

"Sometimes younger. Generally, a woman was required to start thinking of child birth whenever they hit puberty and started developing-."

"Shut up! We don't need to here the rest of that!" Natsu said, wrinkling his nose.

"But-!"  
"NOPE! Nobody wants a sex ed lesson, Zeref."

"But I'm really knowledge-."

"NOPE!"

"But Natsu-."  
"NOPE!"

Zeref was silent for a moment and pursed his lips together before he opened his mouth, "NOPE!"

"You're not even looking at me! How do you know I was going to say anything!"

"I could feel it." Natsu said. Zeref frowned and crossed his arms.

"But Lucy and Mavis want to hear what I'm going to say next, right?"

"Nope." Lucy said, popping the p.

"No, not really." Mavis said. Zeref pouted. "It's not appropriate for the rating."

"Don't break the third wall." Lucy said… "Is that what's happening?"

"Don't think about it." Mavis said. "You wouldn't comprehend."

"I guess I wouldn't…" Lucy said.

They started out the front door of the apartment complex and started walking around town. "Do you smell a restaurant?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, it's around here… there!" Natsu pointed to a small café-like restaurant with no one there. It made Lucy apprehensive to go in there, more content with following the crowd who was at the restaurant next door, but she supposed if Natsu had led them here, then the food must at least SMELL good.

Besides, her other companions didn't seem to have a problem going where no one else would go, and walked into the restaurant without any hesitation. So, Lucy decided to follow them because she really didn't think there was another choice.

"Hello!" Natsu said brashly, kicking the door open.

"Natsu, be respectful of other people's property." Zeref scolded.

"Mehmehmehmeh." Natsu said mockingly.

Zeref was not amused.

"Let's just not get into a fight that could blow this poor café up." Mavis said, stepping between the two brothers who were glaring at each other. "You two have GOT to work on getting along."

"I'd get along if HE wasn't such an idiot."

"We'd get along best if YOU weren't such a fun-sucker!"

"Fun-sucker?"

"FUN-SUCKER!"

"And that's another thing. I don't like all your shouting. It's disrespectful!"

"Blah, blah, blah, like I care!"

"Don't you talk to me in that tone, young man!"

"Make me stop then, jerk."

"Boys, knock it off!" Mavis said quickly when Zeref looked like he was going to murder his brother. Lucy was just trying to stay out of it. Only, Mavis didn't seem to help, because Zeref still looked like he was going to kill Natsu within the next few seconds.

Thankfully, within those next few seconds their waitress arrived so she arrived in a café, not a crime scene. "Oh, you all must be here to eat. How many?"

"Four." Lucy answered.

"Alright then, here's your table and your menus." She showed them to one of the booths and gave them some menus. Zeref and Natsu sat across from each other, so they were able to glare at each other without having to crane their necks, which proved very annoying after a while for Lucy and Mavis.

"Would you two stop!"

Apparently they wouldn't, because lightning flashed between there eyes. Lucy blinked as Zeref jumped back with a yelp. "What was that!"

"That's what happens when you stare intensely at someone." Natsu said as if it were ordinary to have lightning flashing about. "It happens to me and Gray all the time. It does to everyone who stares intensely at people. But you get used to it after a while."

"… So that's why they never react to it? Because they're used to freakin lighning!"

"Yep."

"And you don't think you might go blind from something like that?" Lucy asked.

"Not really."

"You're a complete dolt."

"Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment!"

"Oh… well, what're you guys getting?" Natsu asked.

"Salad." Lucy and Mavis answered.

Zeref and Natsu glanced at each other. "Well… I'm getting a burger." Natsu said. "With fries…"

"M-me too."

"Guys, do you know how many calories are in those."

"Not to worry, Luce! I've got high meta… meto…"

"Metabolism." Lucy said, rolling her eyes. Natsu nodded.

"That's it! I couldn't think of the word!"

"Fine, what's your excuse?" Mavis asked.

"I… need an excuse?" Zeref asked. The girls nodded. "Well uh… you see I don't exactly… I can't…"

"He can't get fat." Natsu said bluntly.

"WHAT! HOW?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know! I just don't! Believe me I've tried…"

"You WANT to be fat?"

"Well not exactly… I want to be healthy. It was just an experiment to see what happened, geez." Zeref said.

"The real question, is what exactly IS fat?" Natsu said.

"Well it's when… um… I can't explain it!" Lucy cried.

"I think overweight might be a kinder word." Mavis said.

"How did we get into this conversation?"

"You two were just about to order burgers with an INSANE calorie count!" Lucy cried.

"Oh yeah!" Natsu paused. "Hang on, it's not insane. I want a burger." He slammed his fists on the table.

"Whatever…" Lucy grumbled as there wasn't much else she could do now that the waitress was coming back over to their table.

"Have you decided yet?" she asked.

"Yeah…" Lucy said. And they ordered their food. When the waitress left Lucy added, "I still can't believe you guys ordered that."

"Whatever. You can be thin and grouchy but I'm gonna be fat and happy! Also, one bad meal isn't gonna ruin me, Luce, it's just gonna make me feel full. Which, by the way, is a good thing."

"I've tried starving myself to death and I have to say, the emptiness and vomiting isn't fun. I guess that's what happens when your stomach starts to eat itself." Zeref said pleasantly.

"I don't know how you just said all that with a smile on your face and to be honest, I don't think I want to know." Lucy said. Zeref just shrugged and turned back to fiddling with his napkin.

They waited until the food arrived and the salads were placed in front of Mavis and Lucy the burgers in front of Natsu and Zeref. "Mm, that smells good." Lucy said. "Can I have, just a bite?"

"… I guess." Natsu said hesitantly.

"Can I have a bite of yours, Zeref."

"Sure."

So, Mavis and Lucy got a bite of their burgers before they even had a chance to try them. Lucy put a hand over her mouth and kept chewing. "Ugh, Natsu this is terrible."

Mavis turned to her blonde friend questioningly because the burger was delicious. Then she caught Lucy's look and slowly nodded. "Yeah, Zeref, just awful."

"Really?"

"Worst thing I've ever had." Lucy said. "I feel so sorry for you guys so let me just… here, you have the salad." Lucy pushed it over.

"If you want a burger all you've gotta do is-."

"Nope!" Lucy held a finger to his lips. "I would never allow your lips to touch this sorry excuse of a burger!"

"Same!"

"… You guys just don't want to admit that you-."

Mavis and Lucy gave them a glare. "… I guess, we could eat your salad and get a burger… another time if this one's really so terrible."

"It is!"

"… Okay."

Natsu and Zeref sighed and ate their salad whereas Mavis and Lucy at what was supposed to be THEIR burgers! And they ate ALL of it! Every last bite, every fry, all the ketchup and mustard and… Natsu was in dying of hunger!

And his stomach growled as they walked back to Lucy's apartment. That stupid salad hadn't been nearly enough! It hadn't been enough at all!

Zeref didn't really seemed bothered by the fact he hadn't gotten the meat he was promised, but Natsu was VERY bothered! He needed food!

When they got back to Lucy's apartment, Lucy and Zeref, who were in front, froze. "What?" Natsu asked, peering over their heads. Mavis tried to squeeze in between the two so she could see. Finally, she broke through and all four of them were staring at the slightly agape door. "I think… I think someone's in there."

Natsu's stomach growled.

"Natsu!"

"Sorry! Your stupid salad wasn't enough food and I'd already spent all the money I had on the burger that YOU ate! It's not my fault I'm hungry!"

"Whatever, just be quiet, I could've just been robbed!"

"Well, what do you want to do!" Natsu asked.

"Let's jump them." Zeref was surprisingly the one to suggest this. "What?" he asked. Natsu just shook his head.

"Hang on guys, maybe they're already gone! Hopefully, we won't have to jump anybody!" Lucy said. Though unfortunately for her, as the group fell silent, all of them heard a thump in the small apartment.

Lucy gulped. "I'll go in first, it's my apartment and-." But Natsu busted down the door and threw himself on the first person he saw, Mavis following with a war cry, Zeref going too… but without the war cry.

Natsu's flaming fists were met with icy ones, and Mavis' small fist had banged on an armored chest and Zeref soon found himself slapping hands with the smallest intruder. "GUYS!" Lucy shouted, crossing her arms. Natsu opened his eyes long enough to see who he was fighting.

"Gray, what are you doing here?"

"So you're allowed to break into Lucy's apartment, but I'm not? Rude, much." Gray scoffed.

"First Master, why did you attack me?" Erza asked.

"Ah…" Mavis coughed. "Sorry Erza, I didn't know it was you. If I had I would've never… yeah."

"Zeref-san, you're here too? I didn't expect you to come to Lucy's apartment."

"Well, I was invited—."

"No you weren't!"

"—… Tiny… blue-haired person."

"My names Wendy, but I don't expect you to remember me." She said with a small smile. Oh Wendy! Her name had been on the tip of his tongue but Zeref had never been good with names considering he'd forgotten his parents'… moving on,

"Ah, yes, Wendy, of course I remember you."

"You do?"

"Yes! You're one of Natsu's friends!"

"… Is that all?"

"There's more?"

"Of course there's more you idiot!" Mavis slapped the back of his head.

"Hey! You took my burger, it's not my fault I'm half-starved so my brain's only half-functioning!"

"Don't pin this on me!" Zeref crossed his arms and pouted,

"But it's your fault!"

"Is not!" Mavis shouted. "I'm done arguing with you, I'll only win in the end!" Zeref didn't want to admit it, but he'd never won an argument with Mavis so far, and he wasn't exactly eager to try again.

"Whatever." He grumbled. "What're all of you doing here anyway."

"We came to inquire about your participation in the Grand Magic Games." Erza said. "Master would like to know if you want to participate or not."

"Huh? Well… we did miss last year." Natsu said. "Stupid Gramps disbanding and all…"

"Wendy, Gray, and I were all up for participating this year and were just wondering whether you and Lucy wished to join as well, or if another team should be grouped together."

"I'd totally be up for the GMG! Who knows, maybe this year, we'll get to keep some of the reward instead of it all going towards the Guild's funds and I can pay rent on time for a couple months!" Lucy cried!

"IF we win…" Wendy said softly. They all crossed their arms. "I'm just saying. I mean, we're all going to try our best but I'm not going to just assume we're going to win without any thought."

"That's actually a good idea, Wendy." Erza said. "If we start expecting to win too much, then it's possible we won't try as hard as we should."

"Hey, don't say stuff like that! We're Fairytail, of COURSE we'll give it our all!" Natsu exclaimed.

"It's just a strategy!" Erza exclaimed.

Natsu just sighed and rolled his eyes. "I guess what Natsu is saying, is that we'll be happy to participate. When is it?"

"Only a couple weeks from now, so we should all probably get training." Erza said. "The other guilds from the last time we competed have probably all gotten stronger as well so it's not safe to assume we will beat them easily."

"I guess…" Natsu grumbled. "So, where're we gonna train?"

"Erza wanted to go to the beach." Gray chimed in.

"… Then I guess we're going to the beach… again." Lucy said.

"Well, when we trained last time and won the games it was at the beach." Erza said. "I figured we'd need good luck as well as hard training. It never hurts, after all." What Erza had obviously forgotten was that last time, they'd mostly been in the celestial world…

"I guess not…" Lucy said. "So, are we creating a team B this year?"

"I do not think so." Erza said. "But I suppose you'd have to take that up with master as he is the one who picks teams for events such as this one."

"I don't think that's necessary. If there's an extra team, there's an extra team." Lucy said. "It doesn't really matter."

"Can me and Zeref come to the beach too! Even if we're not training with you guys."

"If you want to come, I don't see why you shouldn't." Erza said.

"I could think of a few reasons why…" Lucy said.

"What are those?"

"Well, for one thing, Zeref would still be viewed as a "dark wizard"."

"Nonsense. Hardly anyone knows what he looks like." Erza dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "As long as he doesn't tell anyone his real name, no one has any reason to believe he is the Black Wizard from eons ago."

"I suppose that's true… but we should come with a fake name then."

"Ooo! I've got one!" Natsu raised his hand. Everyone turned to him. "What about Sir Cries-a-lot!"

Zeref opened his mouth to protest but Erza interrupted, "I suppose that will do." she said.

"What? But—!"

"Enough, you will be Sir Cries-a-lot." Erza didn't even seem to notice how ridiculous the name actually was. Zeref opened his mouth to protest more, and then thought better of it when he remembered how Natsu reacted to her. A woman who made Natsu cower probably wasn't someone he wanted to provoke. Besides, it didn't really matter what he wanted. Everyone was going to call him Sir Cries-a-lot whether he wanted that to be his name or not.

"Well, we might as well start heading to the beach then. I think we should take the train." Lucy suggested. Everyone but Natsu agreed, and no one really cared what he wanted.

"Ugh!" Natsu groaned. "I wanna walk!" he complained.

"Too bad! If we walked it would take forever to get to the beach." Lucy scolded. She, Natsu, Zeref, Mavis, and Happy had taken one train car and Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla had taken another.

Natsu's face turned green. "STICK YOUR HEAD OUT THE WINDOW!" Lucy shrieked.

"The windows don't open, genius!" Natsu cried.

"DON'T OPEN YOUR MOUTH!"

"Ugh, I can feel that salad… I'm gonna hurl…"

"Not on me your not!" Lucy said. She was very concerned and one of her life-goals was to NEVER get puked on. So, her instinct was to jump up and Mavis leaned away.

Taking action, Zeref swiftly grabbed one of the brown paper bags they'd brought with them SPECIFICALLY for this reason, though in the heat of the moment, both girls seemed to have forgotten this. Zeref opened it quick and basically thrust Natsu's face into it right as he started hurling.

"EWWW!" Mavis said. "Really?"

"Where's Erza's knocking-out fist when you need it?" Lucy muttered.

"Let it all out…" Zeref said gently, rubbing his brother's back.

When Natsu was done Zeref rolled up the bag and it disappeared. "Where'd it go?" Lucy asked.

Zeref shrugged. "Don't know. Hopefully not somewhere crowded."

"… Eww…" Lucy muttered.

Then, he got a new one ready, just in case. Lucy slowly sat back down, Natsu's head in her lap. "It's almost disturbing how quickly you reacted to that."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zeref looked genuinely confused. "I did what any brother would."

"… No, you didn't." Lucy said. "You did what any mother would do, sure, but brother? I'm not so sure about that."

"Well when our parents died I was Natsu's brother, yes, but I was also his mother and his father and probably his dog too." Zeref said.

"His dog?"

"Yes."

"Don't be so blunt about things like that…" Lucy sighed. "Not every kid would step up like that… I guess Natsu's lucky to have you." She smiled.

"Yes, he's the luckiest person in the world."

"Vain much, dear." Mavis said, smirking.

"It's not vain if it's a fact." Zeref said and shrugged.

"I guess not…" but she didn't seem too sure.

They sat on the train for a couple more hours, Natsu vomited two more times so three unfortunate people were probably covered in the stuff somewhere in the world. Then, after what felt like a thousand years but was only 3 hours, they arrived at their final destination. "The train stopped moving." Natsu hopped up and started bouncing around on his feet. "The train stopped, the train stopped~ woohoo!" he sang.

"You're a little too happy about this." Lucy said, smirking.

"Too happy? Nonsense!" Natsu declared. The train lurched a little and Natsu groaned. "Let's get off this thing." He said and made a break for it, the rest of the group following him at a much slower pace.

"Wait for the rest of us Natsu!"

Gray, Wendy, and Erza were already waiting on the platform when Natsu's group got off the train. "Good, we're all here." Erza said. "Now we can start to the hotel to check in. I've already booked the rooms."

"Okay…" Lucy said, a little scared by this fact. Who knew who Erza had paired her with!

"Well, we don't have infinite amounts of money, so Master gave us four bedrooms, no matter how many came on the trip, with two queen beds in each. Wendy, Carla, and I are rooming together. The rest of you can pair up with whoever you want."

"I guess it's you and me Mavis." Lucy said.

"BUT LUSHEE!"

"NO!" Lucy shouted. "I am not getting locked out of a hotel room again. Go room with someone else."

Natsu appeared dejected as they walked into the lobby and got the key cards to all the rooms. Mavis and Lucy were preparing to go upstairs as they'd already figured they were rooming together, but Natsu stopped Lucy.

"Can I get a hug before you go?" Natsu pouted.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Fine," she said and they embraced for a solid 15 seconds.

"If you, Zeref, and Happy room together, I can get my own room." Gray looked a little proud of himself for coming up with this solution. Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Fine." he said, because there was no way he was rooming with the stripper. Zeref wouldn't be welcomed either, and his poor Happy would probably be dead by morning if he roomed with Gray.

Though it still wasn't fair Gray got his own room…

"What about that one girl. The one who's always following you around?" Zeref inquired.

"How do you know about that?"

"I've seen it."

"You were in the guild hall for like, 30 minutes!"

"I know." Gray was silent and then sighed.

"Hopefully she didn't—."

"Gray-sama! If he is looking for a roommate Juvia is happy to oblige!"

"—Follow me…" Gray sighed and didn't even have time to say anything else because Juvia was dragging him away. 'Help me' he mouthed. Natsu smirked and shook his head before turning a blind eye. Especially after Gray started mouthing curse words.

"Should we really leave him?" Zeref asked.

"He'll be fine." Natsu said, waving a hand. As Natsu got everything in order real quick Zeref peered around at everything. This was the second time he'd ever been in a hotel and the first time he'd been to busy to really look at everything.

"You ready?" Natsu asked, startling Zeref out of his observing.

"Yeah." He said and followed Natsu up the stairs to their room. Natsu took out his keycard and swiped it and they both heard a 'click' before Natsu grabbed the door handle and opened it.

"You know, Natsu, you gave up on rooming with Lucy a lot quicker than I thought you would." Zeref said as Happy curled up on the bed with a contented sigh.

Natsu shrugged and then gave him a wicked smirk, pulling out a key card. "What is that?"

"Lucy's key card to her room. I took the extra."

"How did you… oh…"

"Yeah, the hug? Oldest trick in the book!" he laughed. "She'll probably realize that she's missing it soon and think I—."  
"NATSU DRAGNEEL!" A slightly inhuman shriek. Natsu chuckled.

"Welp, I better get training!" Natsu cried and slipped out of the room, saluting him with a wink before pounding down the hall.

"GET BACK HERE!"

Zeref sighed softly. His little brother never would grow up, would he? Then Zeref smiled.

* * *

**A/N This one's a little shorter than the others but I wanted to get another chapter out because people seem to like it alright. I haven't written on this story for about a year, so the writing style may have changed a little, but I do hope it was still as funny as the last two and similar in style, since flow is kind of important.**

**I would like to thank Dark007arc for their wonderful ideas. The double date AND the GMG suggestion are both from them, so give them a HUGE thank you too, 'cause they made this chapter possible. Thank you so much Dark007arc!**

**Also, if you guys want to see any other pairings that have not already been decided yet (Zervis, Nalu, Gruvia, and Jerza) I'm up for incorporating those pairings in, I don't mind pairings of the same gender either so if you wanted like, (Sting x Rogue, or Minerva x Yukino for example, I wouldn't mind doing those) or, if there's a particular fight pair you want such as (Lucy vs. Rogue for example) I could use those too if you have any in mind. Games are also accepted such as (Water Royal in the original) I could use those as well. The GMG is a hard arc to write since there are lots of characters and fights and games to come up with so I could definitely use that. Any kind of fights with any people you guys want from any guild. Also any ideas you give me I will give you credit for unless you tell me expressly that you don't want it. (I can't imagine you wouldn't, but just thought I'd say. Also Dark007arc, if you want me to take your name down, I will)**

**That's a lot to take in, if you guys have any questions feel free to PM me. Reviews and suggestions are appreciated and any weird/silly/stupid ideas are TOTALLY welcome in this here. Just need to be K+ or below. So, since I've decided to continue this for a bit I'll hopefully see you next week, but I might give it a few, just to give you time to think if you're interested in a game/fight/pairing idea.**

**And don't know if this is necessary or not, but I don't own Titanic or any of it's characters. (just to be clear) haha. Favs/follows/reviews/suggestions are ALL appreciated and encouraged, I'll take criticism too if you see something I could improve on. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you in a week or two. Bye! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Thank you guys for your reads, follows, favorites, and reviews. Your support keeps me writing.**

* * *

Chapter Title: Of Pranks, Fighting Brothers, and Yaoi

* * *

Lucy eventually caught him, yanked her keycard from his hands and gave him a rather large bruise on his right shoulder. "Ow…" Natsu was complaining about how Lucy hit him too hard.

"You're such a child." Lucy muttered and shook her head. After Natsu was done whining and complaining he turned to Lucy, a rather pathetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry I stole your keycard Lucy." Natsu said. "Hug?" he then pouted. Lucy rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Fine." she said and gave him a quick hug. "Me and Mavis have to get ready to go down to the beach now, so we can train." Lucy said. Natsu nodded and watched Lucy walk off.

"You took it again, didn't you." Zeref said. Would his brother never learn?

"Maybe." Natsu said, smirking slightly. Zeref could almost see his brain clicking with ideas, each one a little more devious than the last. "Hey Zeref, I've gotten two hugs from Lucy today, so I think you owe me one now."

This was not what Zeref thought Natsu would say. To be honest he had been guiltily thinking Natsu's next sentence would be along the lines of, "Let's prank Lucy and Mavis," which was code for, "Let's die a slow, painful death,". "You want a hug?" Zeref asked. Natsu nodded.

"From my two favorite people in the world." he said, smiling.

"Awww," Zeref said. "Of course."

The two brother embraced and pulled apart just as Lucy came stomping back down the hall, this time, in her bathing suit. "Natsu!" she shouted. "Where's my keycard?"

Natsu feigned innocence. "What keycard?" he asked.

"MY keycard!"

"I don't have your keycard, Luce. I only have mine." Natsu held it up for her to see. Lucy's eyes darted around, searching for the card that seemed to be nonexistent.

Natsu seemed to be looking around for the keycard as well and Zeref rolled his eyes. Natsu could only keep up this ruse for so long before Lucy found it in his back pocket or something. "Hey, I found it!" Natsu shouted. Natsu was pointing at him. Zeref frowned and looked behind him, only to see that no one was there.

Lucy turned around. "Zeref, why do you have my keycard?" Lucy asked slowly. Zeref frowned.

"I don't have your keycard." He said.

"Yes, you do. I can see it." Lucy said. Zeref reached in his back pocket to find that he did indeed have Lucy's keycard, only he had no idea why or how it had ended up there.

"Oh… sorry, Lucy." Zeref said, handing it to her. Lucy frowned but shook her head.

"It's okay… I guess."

How come Zeref didn't get a bruise on his body? It wasn't fair! "Hey Lucy, can I get a hug before you go…"

By the third time it had looped back Natsu was seriously starting to doubt Lucy and Zeref's self-proclaimed, "intelligence". "Guys!" Natsu shouted, actually tired of his own prank. "Here's how it works. I hug you, I steal your keycard." he said to them. "Then I hug you, Zeref, and I put the stolen keycard in your pocket, therefore making it seem like you were the one who stole it, and how have you guys not figured it out?"

"… I didn't know you could steal something just by hugging someone…"

"Well it takes a lot of practice." Natsu said quickly to Lucy, not wanting her to go around hugging people, while stealing things off them. That wouldn't end well for either of them.

"I trusted you." Zeref said frowning, crossing his arms. "You only wanted to hug me 'cause you wanted to prank Lucy."

Natsu could practically see how Zeref's anxiety spiraled out of control and what came out of his mouth was, "Now I understand! Why would you ever wanna hug me just to hug me? No, it would have to be because of some prank!" the speech just went down hill from there about how no one loved him.

Lucy and Natsu glanced at each other, wondering how things could go so down hill so fast. Lucy wasn't really bothered by the fact Natsu had done this, as in the end, it was a harmless "prank". Zeref seemed to take the meaning of such a thing far deeper than what was necessary though.

"Ah… Zeref, no that's not true." Natsu said. "Come on, give me your hand. We'll change into our swimsuits and then have lots of fun outside, alright."

Zeref sniffed and shook his head. "Then… at least give me your hand."

"No!"

"Please…" Zeref looked at him and slowly took his hand. Natsu helped him up and hugged him tight. "I didn't mean to make you upset." Natsu said. "It hadn't anything to do with my feelings towards you, I just thought it would be funny."

"Well… it wasn't very funny to me."

"I know, I know, I see that now." Natsu said. "I'm sorry."

Just then everyone else came out of their rooms and looked at the two brothers with a raised eyebrow. "What did you do to my boyfriend." Mavis demanded, glaring at Natsu.

The pink-haired boy took a step back, slightly frightened by the look on her face. "Nothing, I promise! It was just a misunderstanding!" Mavis didn't appear convinced.

"Lucy save me!" but she didn't.

"So, how long are you planning to cry?" Lucy asked Zeref. The innocent-looking boy sniffed and looked at her for a moment or two. "Don't look at me like that…" finally the tears cleared and a devious smile spread across his face.

"How was THAT!"

Lucy just blinked as Zeref got up. "Revenge tastes sweet, doesn't it?"

"I… guess?" Lucy said. "So… the crying thing was an act?"

"Mostly. I was upset at first, but not even I am petty enough to cry about it for more than a few minutes. I then decided it was time to pay Natsu back for pranking me so many times this past week."

"He had a whole week?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, this wasn't the first prank mind you…" Zeref shuttered at the memories. "But now I finally get my revenge and he shall pay in blood." If Lucy hadn't been looking closely enough she would've missed the flash of red that passed through Zeref's eyes, but she was looking closely enough so she could shutter when she saw that look.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side." Lucy said.

"You won't know whether your on my bad side or not." Zeref said sweetly. "Not until it's too late, anyway." Lucy gulped.

"There, that should teach you not to make Zeref cry!" Mavis shouted.

"I too, find that visage rather heartbreaking." Erza said, glaring. Wendy agreed as well, but not as aggressively as Erza had. Gray and Carla only rolled their eyes and Happy somehow made the entire situation about love…

By the time everyone was finished beating up poor, poor Natsu, it was much later than when they had planned to leave. "Now you've made us late!" Erza shouted and gave Natsu another fist to the head. Though, with how many times he'd been hit already, there wasn't much more damage to do.

"Ouch!" Natsu cried and rubbed his head. "Why must you be so mean?" he pouted. Erza glared at him and that shut Natsu up rather quickly.

"Don't take that tone with me! Now, apologize to Sir Cries-a-lot so we can get moving."

"But I already-." More narrowing eyes told Natsu not to finish that sentence.

"Sorry." Natsu muttered, though he didn't much look sorry anymore.

"Why of course, brother dear."

Uh oh… "Am I going to die?" Natsu asked.

"No."

"Are YOU going to die."

"No, why would you ask that?"

"You would never call me 'brother dear' unless it was because something terribly wrong was about to happen to one of us." Natsu explained.

"Why, whatever do you mean? I call you brother dear all the time."

"No you don't. You call me Natsu, and occasionally I can remember you addressing me by the name, 'Idiot'."

Zeref didn't remember this.

"When did this happen?"

"A day or two before that trial. I remember we were walking, I had the bright idea to cartwheel of the tree branch, and you said, 'Idiot, get down from there'. You said called me quite a few other names, but I probably shouldn't say those with Wendy listening."

Everyone got rather silent at the knowledge that Zeref basically cursed. "Oh yes, and you called me 'Idiot' for the rest of the day. And now sometimes you absentmindedly say it when calling me over… along with those other things sometimes…"

Zeref, for the life of him, did not remember these things occurring. Yes, he remembered Natsu standing on the tree but he did not remember using vulgar language, though if he thought hard enough he did remember a few mothers covering their children's ears and glaring at him. "Perhaps I vaguely remember these events." Zeref reluctantly admitted.

"Hah! I'm actually right about something!"

"Don't get used to it." Zeref said with a sigh.

"Since that's all taken care of." Erza said. "Natsu, Zeref, get into your swimsuits so we can go down to the beach."

The boys obediently went in the room and closed the door.

"So, you aren't really upset are you?" Natsu asked, stripping quickly out of his clothes.

"No. Not now that I got payback." Zeref said, doing the same.

"So, making everyone beat me up was the payback I'm assuming."

"Yes."

"… I never want to be on your bad side again."

"Funny, your girlfriend said almost the exact same thing to me. I guess you two are a bit more alike then I imagined."

"What? No, me and Lucy are nothing alike. Lucy's smarter, and nicer, and purer, and sweeter, prettier, yeah?"

"Well, I can agree with the prettier."

Natsu pouted. "Hey, some might argue that I am pretty!... for a guy, anyway."

"I suppose." Zeref said. "Compared to some guys you appear more feminine with pink hair."

"It's salmon. And your being a bit creepy again."

"Am I?"

"It's not normal to agree with me about me being pretty…"

"It's a fact."

"You're probably just being agreeable again." Natsu said, shaking his head.

"Am not!"

"Whatever you say."

"Don't talk like that, it's like you're agreeing, but not agreeing, and you know that kind of stuff confuses me!"

Natsu slipped on his swimsuit and laughed. "Yeah, I know you're not the sharpest tool in the shed."

Natsu slipped out of the room and closed the door right before he heard something shattering against the door. "What was that?" Lucy asked.

"Probably a lamp…" Natsu said.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "He could've killed you with that."

"Yeah, well, I'd love to stay and chat, but…" Natsu ran away as Zeref wrenched the door open. This time he had the office chair raised above his head. Apparently, anger gave you a huge adrenaline boost because Zeref chucked the chair and it hit Natsu in the back.

The pink-haired boy laid there for a few moments, before getting up and running again. "Can't kill me that easy!"

Zeref rolled up non-existent sleeves and started chasing after him. Lucy just shook her head along with the rest of her group. "Boys, can't get through one conversation without trying to kill each other." She said exasperatedly.

"I know right." Gray said. Lucy just raised an eyebrow and didn't question it. Learning Gray-logic wasn't high on her list of priorities anyway.

"Whatever, I don't care anymore." Lucy muttered and started following the two boys down to the beach. With Natsu running and Zeref grabbing something and chucking it every minute or so, which just so happened to include, a pot, a plant, a suitcase, a fire extinguisher, and a person…

Lucy had to pay the person so as not to get kicked out of the hotel. Lucy was relieved when they were out on the beach. There wasn't much ammunition on the beach, or so she thought. It turned out, there was a large supply of human ammunition…

Let's just say, within the next hour, Lucy was crying while holding her empty wallet. Natsu was going on about how it was wrong to make girls cry, Gray lost his clothes, Erza was yelling to what seemed like everyone, Wendy and Carla tried very hard to stay out of the line of fire, Mavis was telling Zeref he had to watch his temper, and Zeref was apologizing profusely while promising to pay her back. Happy somehow made the situation about love…

"I'm so sorry for making you life difficult Lucy, and to the rest of you for acting out, except Natsu. I'm not sorry for all the things I hit you with." Natsu's mouth dropped open.

"Huh! But I'm the one you should be apologizing to the most! Be mature about it and apologize!."

"The day I apologize is the day Happy shuts up for a moment." Zeref said and sniffed, crossing his arms.

Natsu knew that was never going to happen, so he settled with being mad and taking it out on Gray and whatever poor bystanders may be around.

"It's alright." Lucy said with a sigh and then added quickly, "As long as you pay me back." Zeref smiled and nodded.

"Yes of course." He said. "I will make sure to do that. In fact, I could even transfer over the money right now, with this device here." He said cheerfully. "If… you show me how it works. I'm afraid I don't quite grasp the concept yet." He said and showed it to her.

"Natsu, why'd you get him one of these if he doesn't understand how one works?"

"It's funny to see him fumble around with it. Also, he's got terrible memory, so he'll forget the things you teach him, ha! It's kind of hilarious."

Zeref pouted. "I don't think it's very funny, Natsu."

"Yeah, and I don't think you have a sense of humor, but saying that isn't going to change it."

Zeref scowled at him. "At this moment I loathe you."

"Aw, I loathe you too." Natsu said and patted his cheek. Zeref would've bit him if Natsu hadn't pulled away at the last moment.

"It may be just me, but I feel there's tension between you two."

"Wow, Lucy, you really are a genius." Happy said sarcastically and giggled at the scalding look Lucy gave him.

"As I was saying, is there something going on?" Lucy asked.

Something going on? The two boys looked at each other.

"I don't think anything's going on…" Zeref said slowly.

"Yeah Lucy, you just don't know how siblings act 'cause you were an only child."

Lucy supposed that was true… "And you're sure there's usually this level of brutality and viciousness?"

"Yes." They answered immediately.

"Did you know, Lucy, that in the majority of films and TV shows, brothers are against each other."

Lucy scoffed, "When did this ever happen? I've never watched a show or a movie like that…"

"Well, the show we're in now, for one." Natsu said. "Then there's Naruto, Saiki K., The Seven Deadly Sins, Inuyasha—"

"Okay!" Lucy shouted. "Fine, that's quite a few."

"And those are just SOME of the anime, not even including movies like Thor!"

"Thor and Loki have a great relationship!"

Natsu just raised an eyebrow. Lucy was silent before admitting, "Fine they don't, but they they're not trying to kill each other."

"But they are against each other." Natsu said. Lucy frowned.

"Yeah, well what about shows like Supernatural, where the brothers work together."

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Please, can you think of any other examples?"

"Uh… well… if I sat here long enough and thought about it, then yes!" Lucy said.

"Oo, oo, I've got one!" Zeref said. "What about Boss Baby! Where they start out hating each other but in the end, they're best friends and actual brothers!"

They all just raised an eyebrow at him. "What! It was on Netflix and looked adorable! It reminded me of when Natsu and I were kids… well, besides the fact that we lived in a time of war, there was lots of disease, people were dead on the streets, Natsu could actually only babble, and of course it ended with the entire village being burned alive by dragons except me so I went on this whole crusade to get my brother back and got cursed and made my dead brother into a demon so that he could end my life and therefore my suffering and then in the end we could finally burn together in hell…" he took a deep breath. "But yeah, other than that, the movie totally reminded me of my childhood."

"Maybe that was supposed to be happy, but you made it really depressing." Lucy said.

Natsu just blinked. "Zeref…"

"Yeah?"

"… That movie was nothing like your childhood." Silence.

"Yeah, I know. But that's how I wanted it to be." He smiled.

Wendy sniffed and Erza squinted, muttering something about how sand got in her eye, walking off, claiming she just had to go wash it out, but everyone knew she was going to go cry in the bathroom.

"You sure know how to kill the happy mood, don't you." Natsu muttered.

"I've had a lot of practice." This statement made Wendy burst into tears.

"I… I'm not crying. I'm not crying at all." Mavis said with tears in her eyes.

"There you go, doing it again."

"I don't understand what I did."

Natsu sighed. "I don't know either, really. It's just what you said and how you said it."

"Well I did learn poetry. I found it was a good way to reject the world through creative thinking."

"You tried that?"

"I tried everything."

Natsu frowned and tried to think of something ludicrous Zeref wouldn't have thought of. "Did you gargle peanut butter?"

"Yes, actually… I died… never try it."

Natsu was silent. "Why don't we just… get training."

"That's a great idea." Lucy said quickly. They were somehow managing to get off topic at every turn. "Alright, so how're we going to train."

Natsu just grinned maniacally. Fire exploded in his hands and he started chucking flames at Lucy while she ran away. Soon "training" just turned into a brawl.

"You want to take a romantic walk by the ocean?" Mavis asked.

"That sounds lovely."

And so they did with lots of,

"Natsu, let go of my foot!" ringing through the air as they left.

Lucy kicked at him. "Come on Natsu let go!"

"Flame Brain, must you be an idiot at every turn!" Gray froze Natsu's body solid for about ten seconds before Natsu burned it away.

"Come at me, Ice Boy!" he hollered. Gray happily obliged.

"Hey! Maybe we should get some actual training done!" Lucy shouted.

"Boys will be boys, Wendy. And boys are animals. Never forget it." Carla told Wendy. The young girl wanted to disagree, but the evidence of this statement was sound. So she only nodded.

"Hey!" Natsu growled. "Gimme back the swim trunks!"

"Oh my." Wendy blushed bright red and turned away, unable to believe what she just saw.

"No way! This is payback for all the times you stole my underwear!"

"But you were begging for it!"

This sentence naturally sent Lucy off to writer's land. That would make a good story…

"More M-rated stuff going on in your head." Happy said with a snicker.

"I'm going to kill you, you stupid cat!" Lucy shouted and ran after him.

Meanwhile, Gray shouted, "I was not begging for it! And it doesn't matter if you think I was!"

"Good… because you were." Natsu said. "Now give them back! We're in public!" Natsu complained.

"Like it ever stopped you!" Gray hurled them into the ocean. "Go on, go fetch little doggy."

Needless to say, Natsu did not fetch and Gray was utterly destroyed. "That's what you get!" Natsu said, pointing at an unconscious Gray. "You act like an ice queen and you'll get Frozen!"

Natsu turned around, wondering who was listening. Only Carla was left watching, and she didn't get the pun… "But, Frozen! You know, the movie!" Natsu insisted. Carla just shook her head and shrugged.

"Sorry, never heard of it."

Natsu was deeply offended.

"Never?"

"No."

"Let it go, let it go~! Can't hold it back anymore~!"

"Stop it, stop singing." Carla said quickly. So Natsu crossed his arms and waited expectantly.

"And you still don't know it?"

"No."

Natsu was silent. "The MOMENT we get home from the GMG you are watching that movie! Sven is LIFE!"

"I thought that was food." Carla said amusedly.

"… Fine… but Sven is a CLOSE second!"

"Whatever you say." She said and that's when Natsu felt it.

"What is going on here?" a voice, deep, laced with anger. Natsu froze and suddenly wished he and Gray's roles were switched and he was the one laying unconscious.

"Oh, Erza, you're back…"

"Why are you sitting there wasting time! And why is Gray on the floor!" she demanded.

"Well, you see Erza. Gray was just too weak to handle my final attack and I beat him… in training."

"Well why are your swim trunks missing?"

"Uh… who really cares about the technicalities." Natsu gave a wave of his hand.

"Go get them." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am."

Erza shook her head and sighed. "Alright everyone, I believe that is quite enough training for he day. Now then, let's go have dinner."

"Food!" Natsu shouted. "Food is life!"

"GO FIND YOUR SWIM TRUNKS!"

"Okay!" Natsu squeaked and ran off into the water to fetch them. This happened while Zeref and Mavis came back from there romantic trip. Zeref was covered in bruises.

"What happened to you?"

"You should see the other guy." Was his response with a creepy smile. "But more importantly, why is Natsu skinny dipping?"

"Ah, well things between him and Gray got a little heated after Gray stole his swim trunks." Zeref's eyes went huge.

"Are my yaoi fantasies FINALLY coming true?" he asked himself, his entire face red. Mavis looked a little perturbed by this knowledge.

"I know right!" Lucy fangirled.

"He's your boyfriend, right?" Wendy, looked a little confused.

"Yeah, I know, and if Gray was a woman I'd knock her teeth out, but this is…" Lucy suddenly realized she was talking to a child and was unsure if she knew about… the birds and the bees. "Since Gray's a man, it's just a little different." Lucy assured.

"Yeah, I kind of ship Zeref with Gray." Mavis admitted.

"But… but I'm straight…"

"That's why it's so fun!" Lucy shouted. "And are you sure your not even a bit gay?"

"I… I think so." Zeref said, frowning.

"… I'm telling Mira about you two."

"What would be their ship name?" Mavis asked. "Graref… Zeray… Fullneel?"

"I like Zeray!" Lucy said.

"Why is this happening now? What happen to Gratsu?" Zeref asked.

"Oh, I still ship them, I just ship you too now."

"You know my wish?" Happy asked. They all looked at him. "I wish Natsu and Zeref weren't brothers so Naref could become cannon…"

Zeref looked repulsed. "Me and N-Natsu? But… our relationship is platonic!"

"What if it was… GraNatZer…" Lucy shouted.

"Gray's not there, what?" Natsu asked, coming back. "I don't know what you're talking about. Gray's right there." Natsu pointed. His arrival shut everyone up.

Zeref looked around. He had been shipped with his brother… what was the world coming to? "Let's just go to dinner…" Erza said tiredly. They all looked at each other and then nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, okay."

* * *

**A/N Heh, I'm sorry... wait, no I'm not! So, GMG suggestions are still appreciated, even with this chapter being out. I do not own any of the TV shows/Movies/Animes mentioned in this chapter. Also, do you think I should up the rating? Just to be safe? I'm not sure, so I was just wondering. I also have a poll going on about whether you guys prefer stories written in first or third person, or just don't care so check that out on my profile. I'm sorry the chapter is shorter, but I'm going to try making them that way, because if i did 10K a chapter i would just star getting exhausted. So, thanks so much for reading, reviews/follows/favorites/suggestions are welcome and appreciated. It doesn't even have to be about this arc, it could be a suggestion for the future. So anyway, those would be helpful, but otherwise, I think I'll see you next week? I'm hoping to start updating this weekly, but I'm still not sure. Anway, hope you guys have a great rest of your day. Bye!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Title: Of Getting Jobs, Transformations, and Who's the Main Character?

* * *

Training continued for a long time, until it was time for the GMG! Zeref was a little depressed because now that they were in the capital, Crocus, everyone was calling him Sir Cries-a-Lot. And when they would shout that name with a crowd of people watching, everyone would give him odd looks, probably wondering why his parents hated him.

Only, it wasn't his parents who hated him, it was his brother, who seemed to be gaining immense pleasure from watching him flush red every time someone would ask him if that was really his name. And when Zeref said it was, they would give him a sympathetic look and Zeref would want to crawl in a hole a disappear forever.

So, out of spite, Zeref did not watch the prelims. Now Natsu was bugging him nonstop about it, which got annoying but at least he had gotten good payback. Now, everyone was gathered it was the day before the games began, and there was an emergency flier posted in town. Apparently, they were looking for a new mascot, because the King was getting a lot of marriage proposals for his daughter and had to sort through them all.

"Hah, you should do it Zeref." Natsu joked, snickering. "I can imagine you, in that pumpkin head, being all cheerful and bwahahaha!" Natsu burst into hysterics.

"Are you saying I couldn't do it?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Natsu said, smirking. Zeref raised an eyebrow and frowned.

"What are you saying! I could totally be the pumpkin!"

"You don't even know what the pumpkin is!"

"I know there's a pumpkin head. And just so you know, I would look adorable!"

"No denying that." Mavis chirped. "But you would probably find someway to make every situation depressing."

"I would not!"

"Yes, you would! I mean, come on, you made Santa Clause depressing!"

"I did not!"

"You did so! That time about a week or so ago when you asked about Fiore holiday customs, and I said Christmas was huge! You asked why and I told you about Santa Clause. Then, you said, and I quote, 'So, let me get this straight. A large old man breaks into your house by going down the chimney and getting soot all over your floor. He takes your cookies and gives you presents if you've been nice. He gives you coal if you're naughty and the counterpart of Santa Clause, Krampus, may or may not come and steal your soul…' I said, pretty much. And you said, 'No wonder there are so many robberies on Christmas. You're basically telling them how to break in.'" Natsu finished.

"I have to admit, you did make it pretty depressing." Gray said, frowning.

"Yeah, but I don't make EVERYTHING depressing."

"You remember that one time I told you I had a brain freeze?" Natsu asked.

"Yes."

"You told me it was probably Death's icy fingers come to drag me to hell."

Zeref was silent. "Oh yeah, and that one time I told you I liked your outfit? I mean, a week ago when you wore those adorable rabbit—." Mavis started.

"Yes, yes, I remember." Zeref interrupted.

"Oh yes. I said you looked adorable." Mavis said. "And you told me it was made of real rabbit fur. I said that was amazing and was probably comfortable. And you started belting out how many rabbits die each year and that having those clothes made you a sinner and you were going to go see if the God's would strike you with lightning."

"Dang…" Natsu said.

"Oh yeah, and that one time I was eating that chicken that was just a little too salty." Lucy said. "And you told me it was probably because the person making it shed their tears over their two dead children, which I found depressing and a little disturbing."

"Can we STOP!" Zeref shouted. "I shall prove to you that I can be happy!"

"Good luck, you'll need it." Zeref ripped the flier from the wall and stomped off, throwing one last glare at Natsu.

"Welp, he's gone." Natsu said.

"Good job getting rid of him." Mavis said.

"Now, where were we before he interrupted last time?" Lucy asked.

"I was telling you all about that one time he tested how slippery a banana peel actually was." Mavis said, barely containing her laughter.

"Oh yeah! You were at the part where he claimed everyone who slipped on a banana peel was stupid and clumsy."

"Well isn't he a hypocrite then?" Lucy asked.

"That what I said!" Mavis shouted.

"I'm here to try out for the position of mascot!" Zeref said, holding up the flier. "Auditions are still open, aren't they?"

"Well, yes." The person said. "And you really want to be the mascot?"

"Yes."

"Do you drink?"

"… Well, yeah. I mean everyone's gotta drink."

"I mean alcohol."

"No, not really." Zeref said. He was a lightweight and a hormonal drunk with lots of mood swings. It was never a pretty picture.

"Alright." The person said nodding. "Drugs?" Zeref shook his head. "You don't mind wearing the pumpkin suit?"

"No."

"You don't mind saying 'Punkin' a lot?"  
The things he did to prove others wrong… "No."

"You're hired." The person said, handing him the head. Zeref blinked with surprise.

"Wait, really! I don't even need to audition?" the person shook their head. Zeref was so happy, happier than he'd been in quite a while. He was going to prove Natsu wrong! Again… but still!

"Thank you so much, sir! You don't know how much this means to me! I can't believe it! I'm that qualified for the job!" Zeref started rambling. "I must be fairly talented at being jovial then, yes?"

"Nah, kid. You're just the only one who showed up." Then the door shut in his face. Zeref huffed and pouted. Well wasn't that just rude! But he was too happy to stay angry at the person for long. He couldn't wait to run off and brag to Natsu about how he got the job. He just wouldn't mention the part about where he was the only one to try out…

Zeref held the pumpkin head out proudly when he arrived, only to hear Mavis talking about that embarrassing time he'd tested if a banana peel was actually slippery.

"Right after he slipped, he claimed the world rejected him!" Mavis said.

"Really?" Natsu said amusedly. "Then what?"

"Then he pretended the incident never happened and started scheming of ways to destroy the world."

"Hah, from banana peel dork to evil dark wizard in less than a minute!" Natsu laughed.

"Oo, that reminds me. What about I tell you about the time he got drunk!"

"Mavis!" Zeref shouted and he heard her whisper, "Uh oh." Before giving him a small smile.

"Why hello, dear. How are you?"

"Quite well, actually. I did it! I got the role of the mascot!"

"You were the only one who showed up, weren't you?"

"Why yes!... wait, how'd you know?"

"There was no way you would've gotten the job otherwise." Natsu said with a shrug. Zeref was insulted.

"How dare you! Of course, I would've gotten the job!"

"No, you wouldn't have." Everyone else said.

"Hey, Zeref." Natsu said. "Put on the head, I want to see it."

Zeref obliged and the tips of his ears turned pink when he heard small laughter coming from the other side. "What!" he whined, taking it off. More giggling.

"Helmet hair!" Natsu offered. Zeref smoothed his hair down a bit.

"You looked adorable." Mavis cooed.

"Yeah, just like a little baby punkin." Natsu teased.

"Shut up Natsu!" Zeref said flushing red. Natsu only smirked and teased him some more until he had embarrassed tears in the corners of his eyes, which only made things worse, because now people on the street were awing quietly to their friends and family.

"Aw, look at the cute boy on the street." One woman said to a man, presumably her husband. "Isn't he just precious?"

"Hey, he's cute. Maybe you should date him." a teenager teased her friend who blushed. "A bit of a crybaby, but at least he's sweet."

"Mommy, why is the man crying?"

"Sometimes people cry, honey."

"He looks like that poor doggy I saw at the pound." The boy's mother only nodded.

Zeref wanted to tell these people to shut up, but he settled for ignoring them and pouting to Natsu. "Aw, poor baby." Natsu said, tone light as he ruffled Zeref's hair.

"Don't bully me." Zeref said, glaring at him. "How dare you make fun of me! This is a great costume and I am going to rock it and you are going to be so jealous!" Natsu snorted and rolled his eyes. "You will be!"

"I doubt it." Zeref pouted and stared at the suit in his hands.

"And the GMG starts tomorrow?" Mavis asked. The other wizards nodded.

"We'll totally defeat all of them!" Natsu cheered as his fists lit on fire. "I bet I could do it alone!"  
"Let's not be overconfident." Wendy suggested and the other girls nodded in agreement.

"Nonsense." Zeref scoffed. "Confidence is what is needed to ultimately overpower your opponents and beat them into the ground until the have no will left to fight and are just junk, not even worth destroying because their body and spirit are already broken, and it's much more amusing to watch humans in the pit of despair than it is to watch their corpse."

They all stared at Zeref and Lucy gulped. "I don't think I want to know how you know that." She said softly. Zeref only shrugged and smiled lightly.

"Yeah, that was one of the creepiest things you've said so far." Gray commented.

"What can I say. It's a gift."

Lucy wanted to say, "Or a curse," but she didn't because her choice of words would probably make Zeref cry, and she didn't want everyone to beat her up like they did to Natsu.

"Hey, why don't we all go back to the hotel rooms we got." The rooms were specifically reserved for those competing in the Grand Magic games. So, everyone was sleeping in the same room except for Mavis and Zeref, who'd gotten their own room together, which was a little… scandalous in Lucy's opinion. The hotel attendees had been a little hesitant to let Zeref and Mavis room together. But with a few glares from Zeref and Mavis insisting that they were being rude and that she and Zeref were both much older than they appeared, the attendees finally gave in and let them room together.

"Some people." Mavis huffed. She and Zeref had just gotten the room and Mavis was spent from yelling at so many people who looked like they refused to listen to a little girl. The staff had been stubborn until the point Erza and the rest came over and asked if there was a problem. That's when the staff had caved. "They're so ageist!" she shouted. "Looking at me like I can't make a decision on my own. I'm probably smarter and more capable than all of them combined!"

"Yes, dear, you most definitely are." Zeref agreed. He was mad too, but nobody noticed because Mavis showed her annoyance enough for the both of them.

Mavis took a deep breath and sighed, taming her aggressiveness and slowly became calm again, much to the relief of everyone involved. After a full day of walking around everyone was exhausted, so they said goodnight, and each went to their rooms.

The next morning Natsu woke up to his hair being eaten by Happy, who was having a dream about fish, and therefore, was actually the first one up for the first and probably only time in his life.

In fact, despite how "responsible" the guy seemed, Zeref was actually the last one up. "Go away Natsu…" he mumbled.

"But you've gotta get up! You need to be there at the GMG before the games gets started because you're the mascot!"

"Cut the guy some slack. He's probably still getting used to beds after sleeping on the ground for like, 400 years." Lucy said amusedly. Natsu frowned. His girlfriend did bring up a good point he supposed but…

"Zeref get up!"

"Also, he's stuck in the body of a fifteen-year-old, so it makes sense he'd try to sleep the day away." Lucy added.

"And since Zeref's not awake to be depressing, I will add what he would've said after that sentence." Mavis said cheerfully, took a deep breath, and then her face became blank and somber. "I also try to sleep the day away so that I can escape the nightmare of death that is life. But if it's said that way, I suppose it's not much of a life then, is it?"

The all stared at her. "How was that? I've got it down, right?" Mavis asked. Lucy slowly nodded.

"Yeah, that was a pretty accurate representation of him."

"It's too bad he's not like Natsu where all you have to do is yell food to get his attention." Gray said, smirking lightly. Natsu glared at him.

"You liiiiike each other!" Happy said, giggling.

"What? How did you get that from that!" Natsu cried. Happy shrugged and flew off before Natsu could question him further.

Then, he redirected his attention to his brother. "Hey Mavis?"

"Yeah?"

"If I yank the covers off him, he's not going to be naked, is he?"

"No… I think…" Mavis seemed to think about it. "I'm pretty sure he had clothes on when we went to sleep… but his face was so cute I hardly noticed the rest of him which is not… as aesthetically pleasing." Mavis said, choosing her words carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Mavis paused. "I personally like a man with muscle, so I suppose to a woman who liked lady arms and basically no meat on the bones might find his body more attractive."

"Ew, can we not talk about this?" Gray asked.

"I'm gonna rip the covers off. If he's naked… so be it…" Natsu gripped the covers tight and everyone drew back, ready to run screaming if Zeref just so happened to be he was the kind of person to wear nothing but underwear to bed.

Then, Natsu ripped the covers off and to his immense relief, and the relief of everyone else, Zeref was fully clothed, but Zeref did get mad someone took the covers off.

"Aw…" Lucy said, looking slightly disappointed.

"What do you mean, aw? Did you WANT him naked?"

"Well…" Lucy flushed. "It might've given me a more accurate depiction on how to write… well you know."

"No, I don't! Care to elaborate?"

"No, not really. You'll just have to figure it out yourself." Lucy said, pouting, wondering how Natsu couldn't know.

Zeref bolted up in the bed, his eyes happening to land on Natsu first. "Natsu! What did you do! Why is it so cold in here!"

"It's like, 8 a.m.!" Natsu shouted. "We've gotta go!"

"8? No wonder! Give me back that blanket! I'm going back to sleep!"

"No, you're not! You've got a job!"

"Is it too late to back out?"

"Yes."

Zeref sighed and got up, yawning. "Fine, but if I'm going to do this stupid thing, I'm doing it in style."

"What do you mean?" Zeref smirked slightly.

"You'll see."

Natsu was slightly scared by that fact.

Soon, they were all heading down to the arena, which was already completely filled, even so early in the morning. Zeref had a slight panic attack from so many people being in the same place at the same time, but they all calmed him down eventually.

"Hey, so, you should probably get ready. Where's the costume?"

"Oh, I have it in my requip storage." Natsu felt slight magic power in the air as Zeref requiped… something. A caset player maybe.

"Dude, those things are as old as dirt." Natsu said, staring at it. Zeref sniffed.

"Whatever." He said and stomped off.

"Wait, where are you going?" Natsu asked.

"To change."

"That's the way to the arena."

"I know."

Natsu and the gang were silent, staring at him for a moment before Natsu said, "Don't tell me Gray's influenced you in some way…"

"Natsu!" Gray complained.

"Well it's true!"

The two started bickering and unbeknownst to them, Zeref had decided to ignore them and go into the arena anyway. "Guys! Stop fighting and look!" Lucy shouted, pointing.

The lightning between their eyes ceased, and such a feat honestly still creeped Lucy out, but not as much as what was happening in the arena where Zeref was doing some magical girl transformation and utterly embarrassing himself, though he didn't seem to notice.

"That's the transformation music to Sailor Moon." Natsu commented. "I can't believe he's doing that."

"I can't believe you know about Sailor Moon." Gray said with a smirk.

"Well if you can't believe I know about it, then you obviously know about it as well, Gray." Natsu retorted.

"It's his recent obsession." Mavis said when a fight was about to break out. "He watches it whenever you're not at home Natsu because he was afraid, you'd make fun of him. I guess he's tired of keeping something he likes a secret."

"I would never make fun of him for something he likes!" Natsu looked appalled by the accusation.

"Remember that time he told you he liked vanilla ice cream?"

"Yeah, but that was different… All he wanted was plain vanilla when there were so many other options!"

"And that time he told you he liked capes and you quoted Edna from Incredibles, "No capes!" Lucy added.

"Yeah… but…"

"He came crying to me and Erza once because he told you he liked sandcastles, and you said he was lame." Gray said.

"But… but!" Natsu spluttered. "… Okay, fine. I do make fun of him for things he likes, but with all those things he had it coming!"

"No, he didn't!" the all shouted.

"I'll have you know I like capes." Erza glared at Natsu and he shivered under her stare. "And sandcastles, AND vanilla ice cream!" she added.

"So, do I!" The rest of them chorused.

"Uh… let's just watch Zeref make a fool of himself." Natsu said quickly, not fond of the idea of fighting them off all at once.

Plus, it was the only thing they could all agree on.

Zeref spun and twirled and used simple requip magic, but somehow made it weird. Natsu could hear the upbeat music coming to an end and finally the pumpkin head sprouted around his head and he struck a little pose. The hilarious thing was that he looked completely serious the entire time like the characters all did, even though it was utterly ridiculous. The crowd could only watch, some chuckling or full out laughing, while others just looked stunned. And Zeref didn't give them time to think much more about what had just happened because he started off the speech.

"Hey Punkin! My name's Sir Cries-a-Lot and I'm your new mascot for this year's GMG! First off, we're going to announce the eight teams that made it to this year's finals!" he crowed. "In Eighth place, Quatro Puppy!"

"Cerberus!"

"But… everyone told me it was puppy."

"It's Cerberus!"

"Quatro Puppy!" Zeref announced again.

"But it's Cerberus!"

"That's what I said!" the guild seemed to give up and come out. So Zeref went through announcing all the guilds who would be competing and then, "In first place Fairy Tail!"

Everyone gave an uproar of applause and cheers as the Tenrou group made their way to the field, smiling and waving a little. The teams all conversed for a little while, making small talk. "This is the year you Fairies are going down!" Sting crowed.

"Yes…" Rogue said, seeming a little hesitant about something.

"What's wrong, Rogue-san?" Wendy asked.

"Oh… well. It's just that the mascot looked very much like Zeref, didn't he?"

The group froze. Curse Rogue and his observations! "Well…" Natsu trailed off.

"That's what I thought at first." Sting said. "And then I realized he was doing the transformation music to Sailor Moon and I knew the evilest wizard on Earth wouldn't watch something stupid like that!"

"I don't know, Sting. You DID know what it was." Rogue smirked lightly as Sting pouted.

"Shut up Rogue, don't be like that!" he said. Rogue only shrugged.

"Yes, but I suppose you're right, Sting. There's no way that Zeref would be doing this sort of thing. Also, he's supposed to be locked up, correct?"

"Ah… yeah." But "supposed to be" and "is" were very different things. So technically, Natsu wasn't even lying.

"So, watch out, fairies! We're going to crush you!"

"Alright Punkin~!" Zeref sang cheerfully, making Natsu chuckle lightly. He could imagine Zeref's pained face underneath his sweet voice, wanting to spout depressing things at what everyone said or did. "Let's clear the field and give everyone a last big round of applause!"

There were cheers and screams, "I love you" 's and from some people, man and woman, "Have my babies!" it was a little disturbing… but Natsu didn't pay that close attention to it.

The teams all went up their balconies. "Everyone, please choose who's going to be representing your team in this first game!"

Everyone immediately started rambling. "Who should we put?" Lucy asked.

"Me!" Gray and Natsu shouted immediately and then glared at each other.

"Perhaps Wendy should go first." Erza said.

"Huh? Why me?" Wendy looked genuinely confused.

"Why? Because you're awesome Wendy!" the young girl blushed slightly.

"Yeah, you are pretty cool." Natsu admitted.

"I mean, you're just as powerful as Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed to which Natsu chuckled lightly,

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." He said.

"This is an important match as we all must set the bar for other competitions to come."

"In that case, shouldn't you be going Erza." Wendy said nervously.

"I don't think it matters." Erza said. "And you're more level-headed than either of these idiots." Erza said, gesturing to Natsu and Gray who started arguing indignantly. "And I for one, would like to scope out some of the new competition a bit, before entering the play."

"New competition?" Lucy asked, frowning.

"Yes, there are new competitors since this year neither Fairytail Team B, or Raven Tail is competing, so we have some opponents with abilities we have yet to be able to handle. Which is why I wanted to send out you, Wendy. You're more cautious than any of us and while Gray and Lucy can formulate battle strategies, you are more patient than either of them."

"Hey! What about me!" Natsu complained.

"Natsu not everything is about you!" Lucy said with a huff.

"But I'm the main character of this TV show!"

"No, you're not, I am!" Lucy growled and crossed her arms, sighing as Natsu rambled on about how he was the hero blah, blah, blah. "Yes, but I'M the protagonist!"

"The what?" Natsu asked.

"The heroine! The main character! You might be the hero, Natsu, but I'm the main character!"

"This is the third time you've broken the third wall in three chapters… make that the fourth." Gray said with mild annoyance. The others just rolled their eyes as Erza urged Wendy forward.

Eventually, all the teams met down in the arena together, Zeref standing there as well. Everyone waited with anticipation as Wendy, the last player, came down onto the field as well, nervously, hoping that she would be able to make her team and her guild proud. She was especially freaked out because the guilds, especially the new ones, eyed her with scrutiny. Though Sting, who was competing for his team, gave her a thumbs up. Eve, competing for his team, gave her a smile, and Kagura gave her a small nod. This made her feel better.

With everyone down in the field Zeref cleared his throat, made a pained expression inside the helmet and then said cheerily, "Alright, Punkin! Now that every team has chosen a representative, I will explain the rules of this first game and then without further ado, another year of the Grand Magic Games can finally commence!"

* * *

**A/N Here's another chapter I hope you enjoyed it! First off, I do not own The Incredibles or Sailor Moon. Secondly, I would like to thank Faeyre and Dark007arc for their reviews and everyone else who followed/faved. Your support is appreciated. I would also like to thank Dark007 for the idea of having Zeref do a Sailor Moon-like transformation. For that idea I know I probably didn't describe it too well but if you want to crack up, just imagine him doing a bunch of twirls, even watch the transformation and imagine him in Sailor Moon's place. So, credit for that idea goes to Dark007. The end where Natsu and Lucy are debating who's the main character is actually something that makes me annoyed. Whenever someone says, "Natsu's the main character" and that is not true! Lucy is the main character, the protagonist, and the heroine of this story. Natsu is the hero, sure, and he is a main character, but he is not THE main character, he is not the protagonist! The story follows Lucy, and how Fairy Tail changed HER life. Another example of this is Inuyasha, Inuyasha is the hero (I guess) but Kagome is the protagonist, because the story follows her, and she is the inciting incident to EVERYTHING the show is about! Just like Lucy is as well. If she hadn't joined, who knows what would've happened? Some people might argue that she's not necessary, and to be honest, it doesn't matter if she is or is not necessary. She is the protagonist, and since the story follows her, if Lucy had not been created, it's unlikely we would have a story at all, though I know some people will disagree. This is my personal opinion, and you are entitled to have your own. Hope I didn't offend anyone.**

**So sorry for the rambling, let's get back to buisness. Now then, the next chapter might take longer to come out, depending on how long it takes me to come up with a game idea for the first round (all suggestions games, fights, couples, future arcs, things you want to happen, those are always welcome and appreciated.) So, I will try to have the next chapter out by next week but it could take two or three, also because I'm really trying to finish this other story I've been working on for a little while. Anyway, I do hope you liked the chapter and such, I will (hopefully) see you guys next week with a new chapter. Follows/favs/reviews/suggestions are a great motivator and help. I hope everyone has had a good week! Bye!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Title: Of Capture/Kidnap the Flag/Ball, Morals, and Shipping

* * *

"For this first game you will not fight alone! Everyone draw these sticks here." Zeref requiped a cup, reading some list in his hands as he went. Everyone drew a stick. "Alright, who has a one!"

Kagura and Sting came forward. "Who has a two?" this time Eve and one of the new guilds. "Who has three?" Lyon and another one of the new members came forward. Zeref sighed as he stared at Wendy she could see the black wizard felt sorry for her. She was left with Warcry. "Each of you who have the same numbers are a team. Wendy, I'm afraid, you must fight alone."

"What about me!" Warcry cried.

"Alone…" Zeref said again.

"But that puts us at a disadvantage!" Natsu called from the balcony, looking ready to go down there and fight himself. Zeref shrugged.

"Unfortunately, this is what the rules say."

"But… I'm here." Warcry said with a groan.

"I'll try my best." Wendy said determinedly. Zeref nodded.

"Alright then, this game is called…" Zeref squinted at the sheet, moving his eyes over it. "But… it's, capture the flag." He muttered.

"Uh… Sir-Cries-a-Lot?" Sting asked with a raised eyebrow.

"They're calling it kidnap the ball, but it's capture the flag!" he gripped the tiny paper angrily.

"I think he's mad." Lucy whispered.

"Ya think?" Natsu said with a sigh. "It's alright he'll calm down after he rages for a moment."

Lightning struck the battlefield and everyone jumped. "It's capture the flag!" he cried again, his shoulders shaking in rage.

Wendy backed up a bit with the rest of the teams. Clouds loomed over head for just a moment and then it all disappeared, like it was never there to begin with. "Alright punkin, this game is called kidnap the ball!" he shouted. "The rules are…" he started explaining like he hadn't nearly killed a few people with lightning a minute ago. "Everyone has been paired into teams. Your goal is to protect your ball while capturing everyone else's as well. The last team standing with all four balls is the winner! Any questions?"

"We are allowed to use magic, aren't we?" Wendy asked timidly.

"Yes." Zeref said. "Any other questions?"

"Can we jump down from the side lines and help because all of you are cheaters making someone be alone while the rest are in teams?"

"But… I'm here." Warcry said.

"No." Zeref said to Natsu. "Does anyone have a question that perhaps isn't stupid?"

No one asked a question and just stared at him. "Very good." Zeref said. Now, I will give each of you a color. This is the color of your ball. First, you will have to find your ball, and then, you can steal others balls."

"So the first part is a race." Kagura stated.

"Yes, you're very right punkin." Zeref said cheerfully. "Your goal is to find the ball so you can steal everyone else's. And if that person hasn't even found their ball, that's too bad. Your cards, with your ball colors will x out if your ball is captured and you will come back to the arena. The setting for this will take place in a simulation of town. Very clever isn't it. Now, is everyone ready?"

"Yes!"

"Line up then." They all stood side by side, lined up. "Alright, on your marks, get set…" Zeref paused. "Goat!" the crowd groaned and the wizards slumped back. "Go!"

As a result, it took the contestants more time to gain their bearings before running off into town. "My color is blue." Wendy muttered as she stared at her flag color. "Alright." She took off and immediately tripped over a rock. "Why is it always me?" she muttered, sighing, getting up. Then, she kept running.

Meanwhile, the Fairytail team was keeping a close eye on the screen, hoping Wendy would be okay, even if she was alone. "So," Gray said. "Things are getting serious now."

"Yep, from now on this story is going to be completely serious and the audience will never laugh again." Natsu declared, glanced at Gray who stared seriously back, and then burst out laughing. "Nah, we've got a theme going here! A comedy theme!"

"I thought theme in a story was supposed to be like… family is important, or whatever." Gray said.

"That's the moral. All stories have a moral." Natsu said.

Well… what's the moral of this story?" Lucy asked. Everyone froze.

"Um…" Natsu trailed off."

"Well…" Erza didn't fare much better.

"Uh…" Gray failed the worst.

"I've got it." Natsu said, a light bulb on top of his head.

"Seriously, how do you guys do all this supernatural stuff?" Lucy asked with an exasperated sigh.

Natsu didn't answer and raised his fist toward Gray who was already moving to defend himself. Then, Natsu promptly punched himself. "What the…" Lucy trailed off, staring at the pink-haired boy.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.

"What did you that for you idiot!"

"I'm giving this story a moral." Natsu said, standing up as he had knocked himself to the ground. "And now we can teach the kids something." Natsu turned around and stared off into nothingness and he said, "The moral of this story is, don't be stupid, it hurts!" he said.

"Morals aren't supposed to come in until the END of the story." Lucy said.

"Well you should've said that to begin with." Natsu pouted and complained. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"If you'd listen for a moment in your God forsaken life." Lucy muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing…"

"Now, you've officially broken the fourth wall." Gray sighed.

"I broke the fourth wall from the start, remember." Natsu said. They all stared at him. "You know, that speech I'd always do. 'Hey guys, ready for some more Fairy Tail. Just make sure that when you're watching, you turn the lights on in the room. And don't sit too close to the TV!' right?" Natsu said.

"Oh yeah, I do remember that." Lucy said. "You stopped doing it like, halfway through the season."

"Yeah, I guess the developers got annoyed with me." Natsu said with a shrug.

"Or they just forgot." Gray muttered.

"Whatever the reason… it doesn't matter." Lucy said. "The point is you can't go around breaking the fourth wall."

"Sure I can. Reader! Yeah, you, reader! How much do you guys hate Gray?" Natsu paused. "Yeah, I know, he's a jerk and an idiot." Natsu said. Another pause. "Aw, you hate him too? How sweet."

"I don't hear anything flame brain."

"Most of them probably think Gray's hot." Lucy conceded. Natsu looked hurt.

"Lucy! How could you say that!"

"It's just a fact. You can't really know what they're saying or thinking. I bet most of them actually like Gray."

"Most of them?" Gray asked.

"Ha! Only most of them! Because unlike me, whose got everyone on my side, you've only got most of them!"

"Actually, I've seen the lists. Gray's usually higher than you on the 'cutest guy in Fairy Tail' list."

Natsu's mouth dropped open. "Hah!" Gray cheered. "I'm the hottest guy in this guild!"

"Yeah…" Lucy muttered. "Girls apparently like half-naked guys… can't say I mind it some times myself." The last part was muttered.

"Lucy! I'm ALMOST half-naked!" Natsu whined. "I mean, all I've got was the vest and it shows off my abs!"

"Uh… yeah, that was true for like, the first few seasons, but then you went and changed your style, and now all we get is a view of your bicep." Lucy said flatly.

"Meanwhile I'm still here, stripping away." Gray said snarkily. Natsu pouted and kept complaining to Lucy.

Wendy, meanwhile, was actually doing productive things with her life, and was focusing on winning the battle for her team. She was hoping no one had found her ball yet. Wendy couldn't see anything over the tall buildings so her first instinct was to climb up on one, however, she knew that would end in disaster because the town was an illusion. Then she saw it, in the air, a blue ball hovering just above the ground. Wendy took a deep breath and touched it. She wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to do after finding the orb, so she figured if she touched it, then it would register. It did and gave her a few more instructions, such as to keep the ball safe, and to hold on to it, to carry it around with her, as she stole other balls from other players.

Wendy bit her lip and took the ball, resolving to help her team, no matter what. So, with her ball in hand she turned, and walked away to search for other players. She knew she was at a real disadvantage since she only had her, and the other teams all had some super strong people. How was she supposed to compete against people like Kagura, Sting, and Lyon? Plus, the other, new people. She wasn't even sure how strong they were, but if they made it to the GMG they must've been at least formidable.

As Wendy was walking she heard voices in another direction, loud voices, almost like arguing. She frowned and followed the voice, wondering why the team was arguing. "We're going this way?" Warcry asked. Wendy jumped. She'd forgotten that Warcry was there.

"Oh, yes." She said. "I hear arguing this way."

"I don't hear anything…"

"Trust me, it's there." Wendy said. She started walking toward the noise and finally came across Eve and the new member of his team, who were arguing about how best to proceed now that they'd found their flag. "We can ambush them." Wendy whispered, glancing at her partner who only nodded.

"Ready?" she asked. "Then let's go!"

"I didn't even…" but Wendy was already moving quickly towards Eve and that new member. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" she cried. Eve and the member were blasted backward.

Eve, who had the ball in hand, dropped it when he hit the ground, rolling a few feet away from it. "Grab it!" Wendy cried. Warcry lunged for it, but Eve, blasted him back with a snow blizzard, which surrounded the two.

Wendy cringed as the snow bit at her body. "Ah!" Wendy let out a cry. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" she let the air fly around her, blowing the blizzard away.

"Hey, look at Wendy." Erza said, cutting the argument the other three were having, off. They turned to watch the screen and did indeed watch it for about five minutes, until Eve got blasted away and Gray made a crack about how Eve wasn't a real man.

"Elfman's gonna kill you for using his catchphrase." Lucy chastised. Gray shrugged.

"If you say so." He said.

"I do." Lucy said and Gray shrugged.

Wendy and Warcry were able to distract Eve and that girl long enough to grab their ball and make them the first out of the game.

As time went on, everyone started meeting and Wendy and Warcry did really well, especially with such strong opponents, but in the end, their ball was taken by Kagura and her and Sting won the game, despite their constant one-sided argument.

"I don't get why Sting is arguing with her." Lucy said amusedly. "Wouldn't it just be easier if he followed her orders?"

"Sting's not an easy guy." Natsu said with a shrug. "He's not the 'follow orders' type."

"For once I agree with you flame brain."

"At least I'm not an ice princess." Natsu scoffed. Gray glared at him and they started arguing.

After the points were awarded, everyone started back to their balconies. "I'm sorry guys, I wish I could've done better." Wendy said softly.

"It's okay, you were up against some really tough guys." Lucy reassured her.

"I would've kicked them to the curb!" Natsu pumped his fist in the air and Lucy scowled at him.

"At least we've got info on the new guilds."

"Yeah, but we don't really know their names. I mean, they from the guilds Shelby, and Poope. Poope kind of sounds like French. Like it's spelled with an e but it sounds like a."

"If only they'd change it to sound like a y and then it'd say poopy."

Lucy knocked Natsu on the head. "Only you would come up with something so childish." Gray said, shaking his head.

"You know you were all thinking it!" Natsu shouted, rubbing his head.

"We can do some research tonight on the guilds." Erza said. "I'm sure we can find out the members names, or just hear them when the get announced for the one on one fights."

"I like the idea of researching." Lucy offered. "That way, we can get the info before anyone else does, if we search enough."

"That's a good idea." Wendy said, smiling.

So, after the GMG day 1 was over they all went started walking back to the dorms. On the way they met Mavis. Natsu wished he could say that was the strangest thing they'd seen on the way, but it wasn't. Before meeting Mavis they had first met Lyon, who was standing on his head because apparently he liked the rush to his head. Then Ichiya, who was testing his parfume and the combinations made a very unpleasant odor. Then, into Lector and Frosch who were arguing about whether Sting or Rogue was better and finally, the two said mages making out in broad daylight.

"More yaoi!" Lucy cheered.

"Can we just go?" Natsu complained, pushing Lucy along while the two boys pulled back, their faces aflame.

"It's not what it looks like!" Rogue cried as they walked away.

"What do you mean? It's exactly what it looks like!" Sting cried. "Are you EMBARRASED of us?"

"Well, no, I just…"

"God help him." Gray murmured, saying a silent prayer for Rogue's soul as screams and shouts soon erupted from the blonde male.

Finally, they made it to Mavis, knowing a bit too much about their opponent's personal life. "Hey guys, I was watching the games." Mavis said. "Wendy you were so great out there." Wendy blushed.

"Thanks." She murmured, slightly embarrassed by the praise.

"And Zeref was so adorable out there." Mavis gushed. "Everything about these games is just… is just perfect!" she cried.

"On the subject of the games, first, did you notice anything about our new opponents?"

"Yes, actually. I happen to know of their guilds. They have been rising in the ranks. Not as popular as the most powerful guilds in Fiore, but getting there. I assume you already know the guild names, so first I will speak the names of their members. The guild Shelby is probably the stronger of the two. I doubt they will pose much of a problem, but you should watch out just in case. This team is composed of five members that include, Narcissa, Roldo, Tanaka, Hala, and Tika." Mavis said. "Narcissa is female with a knack for growing things, or in other words plant magic. Roldo is male with never-ending food magic."

"Never-ending food? I want to be his friend!" Natsu shouted.

"I guess that's nice magic… for when someone's starving." Lucy muttered. Mavis just giggled lightly.

"Tanaka is male with animal magic. He can speak with all animals, and use them to aid him in battle. Hala is female and has sound magic, she can split your eardrums in half."

Natsu held his ears protectively. "And lastly for guild Shelby is Tika. She has color magic which can blind you, encase you in darkness or any color of her choosing as well as blind you with whatever she sees fit."

"That'd be annoying." Natsu said, frowning. Mavis nodded.

"And dangerous too. As for the guild Poope."

"Poopy." Natsu snickered.

"In this guild there are five members. Tropocle, Sen, Colso, Dropo, Minsa" Mavis said. "Tropocle is female with Sticky magic. She can make you stick to anything or stick anything to you. Then next Sen who is male with straw magic."

"Straw magic." Natsu burst out laughing.

"Yes, straw magic. He has some anger management issues. Think of the saying, 'the last straw', after he gets super mad and will destroy anything that gets in his way. Next, is Colso who is male, he has problem-solving magic. Give him any problem of any kind, and his magic will give him clues on how to solve one. Dropo is male also, he's blind. So, normally, when someone looses one of their senses their other senses are heightened. Dropo, however, takes this ability to an extreme and all his senses besides his sight are super-human."

"Woah…" Lucy said quietly. "These magics sound interesting."

"They are, stuff I've never seen before." Mavis said. "The last one is Minsa, who is female and she has wall magic. At any time she wants she can make a wall from seemingly nothing, and can also mess up existing walls to an extent."

"Are you sure these people aren't tough?"

"I never said they weren't tough, I said that I didn't think they were tougher than you. There is a difference."

"I suppose you are right… thank you first, this knowledge is very helpful. Erza said gratefully. Mavis smiled,

"I'm very pleased I could help."

Just then, from around the corner, Zeref appeared, his pumpkin hat in his hand, hair plastered to his face, as well as a look of utter exhaustion. "I have a new respect for mascots. This helmet is stuffy and I must've sweated buckets out there. Also, how can someone be so dang happy all the time? It's utterly exhausting!"

"Aw, you poor thing." Mavis said with mock sympathy, though Zeref didn't seem to pick up on this and only nodded.

"Also, is there a reason why Sting and Rogue are screaming at each other? Or rather, why Sting is screaming at Rogue while Rogue looks at him, annoyed? Sounds like me and Natsu, honestly. And just so we're clear, I'd be Rogue in that scenario."

Lucy tilted her head. "Uh, you don't happen to know what they're arguing about, do you?"

"No."

"Well, me, Gray, Natsu, and Erza caught them kissing in the hall and Rogue said it wasn't what it looked like and then Sting got mad because he thought Rogue thought their relationship was embarrassing."

Happy snickered. "You just compared yourself and Natsu to an established romantic relationship."

"Oh…" Zeref looked embarrassed at the misconception. "Oops. Ha ha…"

"Ha, my Naref dreams could still come true yet!"

"Gratsu!" Mavis shouted.

"It's Zeray!" Lucy said

"Shut up all of you and stop prattling on about such nonsense!" Erza shouted. They all stopped and glanced at her. She paused and then continued, "Especially when it's so obviously GraNatZer." She said.

"I keep telling you, Gray's right there!" Natsu whined.

"It's a ship name ya ding dong!" Lucy shouted. "Gra-Nat-Zer!"

"What! But me and Zeref are brothers and Gray's an ice queen!"  
"Don't care." The girls chorused.

Their argument was cut off by a loving, "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"And I didn't mean to make you think I was embarrassed of our relationship when I'm not."

"Oh God, it's happening!" Lucy squealed. "A yaoi couple, finally!"

"We're out of here." Gray, Natsu, and Zeref said at the same time and walked off. The girls paused, staring after them and then Lucy giggled,

"They're probably going off to make out."

"ARG!"

* * *

**A/N So it's a shorter chapter, but I wanted to update and was running out of ideas for this one. I own both of the original guilds, I own all the names, and I'm pretty sure I own most of their magical abilities. Regardless, I own these OC's and as for the names I spat out basically whatever came to my mind in that moment. So, I hope you enjoyed it. I'm always open to suggestions for future dealings. Oh, and I decided Stingue because it seemed cute even though I've never read about it, and I wanted them to help lead to more craziness. So, thanks for reading, I shall see yo next week. Reviews/follows/favs all appreciated and welcome! Bye!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Title: Of babies, Gruvia, and Roldo

* * *

Later that evening, Team Natsu plus Zeref and Mavis, were walking around town and past the park where a few tiny children were playing tag. "Aw, they're so cute." Lucy said, staring at the children.

Natsu didn't see what was so special. "Uh, yeah, okay." Natsu said.

"What, you don't think they're cute?"

"Well, I mean, I guess they're cute."

"No they're not." Gray said. "I don't really like children." They all stared at him for a moment. Lucy frowned.

"You… you don't like children?" Wendy looked like she was about to cry.

"Yeah, well, ten and up isn't so bad because they can take care of themselves and actually understand hygiene. But young children are sticky and messy, and they kind of smell all the time. Whereas children who are six, seven, and eight run around and can't sit still for two seconds. They still throw tantrums when they don't get their way, and they ask 'why' about everything and don't understand when something just, 'is'. Also, they're super loud, especially when they're with other kids."

"Wow, that's a lot of reasons you don't like them." Lucy said, frowning. "But… weren't you a little kid once?"

"Yeah, and I was really annoying." Gray said, crossing his arms.

"You still are." Natsu jumped in. Gray glared at him for a moment before continuing,

"I don't think I'll ever have kids of my own, even if I get married someday." They all heard small sobs coming from a bush in the background.

Lucy slowly inched toward it and pulled back the green leaves to reveal Juvia. "Gray-sama doesn't like children! Gray-sama won't ever have Juvia's babies!" she sobbed, obviously very upset about this. "If Gray-sama doesn't like children then… then how will Juvia ever be a good mother!"

Apparently, she didn't understand you didn't need to be a good mother if you didn't have any children, and no one was quite willing to tell her.

"Oh, Juvia, don't fret. Gray's still a little young. He doesn't understand the miracle of a child." Zeref said. "Why, when I was Gray's age I didn't really want to be a father either."

"Yeah, but that's because you were too busy destroying half the world." Natsu commented dryly.

"It's not like I meant to!"

"I think that just makes it worse." Lucy said with a sigh.

"The point is that everything changed once I found August in the woods. It's even better because he's my actual son."

"Isn't he… er…" Natsu couldn't think of how to phrase, "dead" without sounding callous.

Zeref only gave him a questioning look. "Uh, dead?"

"No, of course not you miserable idiot." Zeref said. "Well, I mean, he is reaching that age… but he's still very healthy at the moment."

"But I thought he self-destructed or something."

"Do you really think August, a master of almost all types of magic, would be killed by something as puny and stupid as a self-destruct spell?" Zeref asked this so condescendingly Natsu knew that the only correct answer was, 'no'. Natsu shook his head. "Exactly! As I was saying, everything changed when I found August alone in the woods. I saw him and I said, 'aw, what an ugly kid' and took him home."

"I thought the reason you brought him back was because he looked like Mavis. Are you saying Mavis is…"

Mavis already looked murderous as she stared up at Zeref. "Just what exactly DID you mean by that?"

"Um… well, of course it was just the curse talking. If I thought he was cute then I would've started caring and so I would've killed him, and I didn't want that… though, at the time, I suppose I did, because if I had only not cared about him because I cared he would've died because I only didn't care because I cared."

"That might've made sense in your head…" Lucy started.

"No, it probably sounded messed up in his head too. But Zeref doesn't have a filter, so…" Natsu commented.

"I thought he was the guy who always thought too deeply about everything." Gray said with a frown.

"Yeah, but I think he was so used to being alone he just kind of says his thoughts out loud. He used to do it a lot more though. About everything. He'd say stuff like, 'hm, what am I going to do today. I know, I'll walk down to the library and read, then I'll…' blah, blah, blah,"

"That's not the only stuff he'd say out loud." Mavis said. "He'd scheme out loud about how he was going to steal the last roll at dinner… with us sitting right there."

Natsu laughed. "Yeah, I grabbed the last roll right then just to spite him."

"You're not telling them about how you were so distracted you didn't hear him predicting you would take the last roll as he schemed out loud and chose that moment to grab the roll right out of his hands." Mavis said and laughed.

"Oh, really? That's interesting." Lucy said amusedly.

"Can we get back to what I was talking about, please!" Zeref cried.

They all reluctantly nodded. "Where was I, even?"

"You were talking about how you brought August-san home." Juvia sniffed.

"Oh right. After I took him home, even though I never really liked children I took real good care of him… or rather, I told one of my staff to take real good care of him, and then killed a lot of plants." Zeref said. "We fed him, and gave him water, and played with him, and pet him, and took him on walks—."

"Wait, wait, wait. You're describing a dog." Natsu said.

"No, I'm describing my son."

"… You don't take children on walks."

"Sure you do. We walked around the garden all the time."

"Yeah, well don't phrase it like that! And you PET him?"

"Yes, you've never pet a child on the head?"

"Usually we don't call it, pet!" Natsu cried.

"Why not?"

"Well… just because!" Zeref frowned. "Children and dogs are different. You can't treat a kid like a dog! Children are intelligent beings!"

"They're into everything, jump in pools, and try to eat things off the ground. That sounds rather dog-like to me."

"Yeah, but they don't do that when they get older!"

"Then they're scientifically classified as adolescents."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I have read books on it."

"Yeah well… with children you read to them, and tuck them in, and teach them flash cards. You don't do that with dogs."

"What are you, a barbarian? I did it with August!"

"Yeah, but he was a child, not a dog." Zeref only stared blankly at him. "I'm saying that you don't do those things with a dog."

"I'm saying I did it with August."

"You're throwing August into the same boat as a dog."

"They're different?"

"… yes, because you don't read dogs books."

"But I read books to August…" Zeref said again.

"You're only hearing what you want hear now, aren't you?"

"Did you say something, Natsu?"

Natsu only stared, his eye twitching for a moment before he sighed and smiled, wrapping an arm around Zeref's shoulders. "No, nii-chan, I didn't say a thing."

Zeref blinked up at him and then screamed, running away. "Come back here nii-chan~."

"What was that about?" Lucy asked.

"Natsu only calls Zeref 'nii-chan' when he's royally (bleeped)." Mavis frowned. "Hey, why did it make that sound when I said, (bleeped)."

"This is rated K+, I'm afraid you can't say that here." Lucy said. Mavis sighed and pouted.

"It's nothing they haven't heard before." she said.

"Maybe but you still can't say it." Mavis rolled her eyes.

"Fine, Natsu only calls Zeref 'nii-chan' when he's REALLY mad."

"Oh…" Lucy muttered.

"So, what Zeref-san was saying… was that even though Gray-sama doesn't like children, when we do have them, it'll be alright… because he will treat them like a dog?" Juvia asked.

"I don't think… yeah, actually. That sounds like a message he'd try to give." Lucy said.

"But I think what you should get, is that Gray will be ready for children when he is ready." Erza said.

"That's a much better lesson." Lucy said in relief, glad someone could pick that out of such a mess. "Thank you, Erza."

"I live to pass wisdom." Erza said.

"Too bad Zeref can't do the same." Lucy muttered, hearing Zeref beg for mercy in the background. "Let's get back to the hotel." She said.

Everyone agreed.

When they arrived, everyone was thankfully still alive. Or, Zeref was half dead… but that also meant he was half alive… "So, what do you guys want to do tonight?" Natsu asked. "It's still pretty early. We could do something!"

"Like what?" Lucy asked.

"We could play with the ouiji board." Zeref said, taking it out of nowhere.

Lucy felt shivers roll up her spine. "That's okay, we should do something else." Lucy said quickly.

"We could play a battle of wits." Mavis suggested. This was met with a resounding, 'NO'. Mavis pouted.

"We could play the King's game." Erza said, a small, devilish smirk on her face.

No one wanted to play that either. "What about Truth or Dare."

"Sure." Everyone but Lucy said. Lucy looked around at everyone and saw she was vastly outnumbered, so she sighed and reluctantly agreed.

Needless to say, at the end of the night Gray had on as many clothes as Edolas Gray, Natsu was bashed through a wall, and Erza was happily eating strawberry cake. Lucy was cosplaying in a large bunny costume, Wendy was eating the last pickled plums, and Mavis was happily holding a bottle of liquor while Zeref stumbled around, drunk. Juvia was watching from the shadows of the guild, hoping to catch Gray alone somehow. The exceeds had opted to stay out of the line of fire and had gone to bed a while ago.

"I think I'm ready to go to bed." Wendy said with a yawn. "Night, guys." Wendy then went upstairs back to the room.

"I would go to bed too, if someone would get me out of these stupid clothes." Gray grumbled. "Stupid Natsu." Natsu would've laughed but he was too busy groaning as he slid down the wall.

"Yeah, well Zeref and I are going to bed too." Mavis said, Zeref's arm slung around her shoulder.

"Mavis this world rejects us. Let's run away and live off in a far away land. Are those unicorns?"

Maybe Mavis would've been more concerned with her boyfriend's mental state if she wasn't so tired. "Why, hello, baby unicorn. It's very nice to meet you…" there voices faded as they went down the hall.

After that Lucy and Erza started peeling off Gray's layers of clothes so he could walk up the stairs. Natsu stumbled off to bed and was soon joined by the other three. Everyone was asleep instantly.

Meanwhile, Juvia was pouting because she didn't get to room with Gray and Lucy did. It was so unfair… then, she thought of something. What if she snuck in for a little while? It wouldn't hurt, right?

Juvia decided that it wouldn't, and nothing would dissuade her now! Juvia knew she wouldn't be able to get through the door, so the only thing left to do was go through the window. The hardest part, was getting to the window. Juvia had to climb up the side, clinging on with all her strength before she reached the windows. Even then, she got it wrong twice, before finding the right room. She opened the window and climbed inside VERY carefully.

She avoided making too much noise and moved past her other friends before finding Gray's bed. Juvia thought he was so cute while sleeping. She was even over the fact that he didn't really like children. In the end, she didn't care! She still loved Gray and there was nothing about him she didn't love.

Maybe, she was a bit creepy in her obsession, but that was how she showed her love in the same way someone might buy flowers. Juvia was willing to love all of Gray, and she wouldn't give up until he was willing to love all of her!

Juvia heard Gray's breath hitch and she froze, her muscles tensing up for a moment. Gray's eyes blearily opened. "Juvia?" he whispered, squinting. It was funny that he could recognize her, even in the dark. Gray groaned. "What're you doing here?"

"Juvia is watching Gray-sama while he sleeps." She inwardly cringed. She hadn't meant for it to come off sounding like that. Gray didn't even blink. It seemed he was used to hearing such responses.

"Fine."

Juvia blinked. She had been expecting him to make a big deal about it. "So Juvia can stay?"

"Yeah."

"And Gray-sama doesn't find it creepy?"

"Oh, it's creepy alright. But… it's you. And I can't very well change who you are, can I? Guess I'll just have to like you as you are. And if you don't want to be clingy it's your choice to make."

"So… Gray-sama doesn't consider what Juvia does, stalking?"

"Uh… well, it's kind of stalking. And I know you don't do it as much anymore, but really you don't have to do it _at all_. You can just come up and talk to me."

"Juvia knows, but if Juvia is following Gray-sama, she can see better if someone is about to attack him."

Gray shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat."

Juvia didn't quite know what he meant, but she didn't dwell. Juvia didn't really want to bring it up now, but she felt this time was as good as any. "Gray-sama, you said after the war, you would give Juvia your answer." Juvia said. "It hasn't been too long, but Juvia doesn't want Gray-sama to have forgotten."

"… I didn't forget." Gray said. "I just get sidetracked. Gray sat up. "Juvia, you're a really nice girl, and I think you'd make a great girlfriend. But, if we're going to make it work—."

"Gray-sama wants Juvia to be his girlfriend?"

"Um… yes. But Juvia, we need to set— don't pass out!"

Juvia didn't have the chance to hear that though.

At that moment, Lucy sat up squealing. "Oh my gosh, you guys are together! My shipping dreams!"

Then, the door fell open and Mavis and Zeref tumbled in with glasses in their hands. "About time!" Natsu shouted, flipping over.

"I give you my blessing." Erza said.

"Congratulations Gray." Wendy added.

"You guys were all listening?" Gray asked incredulously.

"OF COURSE!" they all shouted. Gray only stared and then sighed.

"Let's talk about this tomorrow. I'm going to sleep." Gray flipped over and promptly shut his eyes ignoring the groans and whines of his friends.

The next morning was the second day of the GMG and not much about the night before was said. All that was required to seal the deal was that Juvia promise to stop calling everyone her love rivals, which honestly wasn't needed considering she was his girlfriend now anyway, so it would be silly to keep worrying so much about, 'love rivals'.

They all rushed around to get ready before leaving the hotel to go to the arena in a rush. On the way, Natsu accidentally bumped into someone, causing the both of them to fall. Natsu hit the ground and slowly sat up, rubbing his head. "Ow…" he muttered. "Hey, dude, are you okay?" he asked. the guy looked up. He might've been a little younger than Natsu, but not much. That is to say, he was a little younger than Natsu's physical appearance, not his biological age.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry." He stood up, dusting himself off, before giving Natsu a hand up. They stared at each other for a moment before the guy said. "Hey, you're that guy from the GMG!" he cried. "Natsu, right?"

Natsu nodded. "Yeah, you?"

"Oh, well, you see, I'm actually a contestant in the games too! My name's Roldo from the Shelby guild. I've uh… got never-ending food magic." Natsu's eyes instantly lit up.

"Oh yeah, I totally remember the First talking about you! I wanted to meet you the moment I heard about your magic, it sounds so awesome!"

"Yeah, it is when I'm hungry. Not so much use in a fight though… I'm actually late to the arena."

"Me and my friends are too, actually." Natsu said. As if on cue, Lucy shouted,

"Natsu, hurry up!" she called.

"Ah, sorry to make you keep your friends waiting, Natsu. I'm glad I got to meet you."

"Yeah, I'm glad I got to meet you too…"

"I've gotta go anyway. Narcissa's going to have my head!"

"Well then get going!" Natsu shouted. Roldo nodded and quickly hurried off in the direction of the stadium, going at a much quicker pace than they were. Meanwhile, Natsu heard Lucy call him again and decided he'd better hurry up before she got mad. "Coming Luce!" he called back and hurried off after them.

"Geez, I was coming." He told her.

"Well I just wanted to make sure." Lucy muttered to him. And they kept walking, ready to face the days events with heads held high.

Finally, they got to the arena, right on time too. Zeref had just asked for them to send a team member to play the next game. "Who should we send this time?" they all paused and thought, frowning. Then, out of the corner of his eye he saw Roldo walking on to the field. Natsu smirked.

"Send me." He said.

"And just why should we? Why not me?" Gray asked, glaring.

"There's someone I want to fight." Natsu said, peering over the balcony. They all looked over at where he was staring.

"Who is that?" Lucy asked.

"He's from Guild Shelby." Natsu smirked. "His name is Roldo, and he's got never-ending food magic. THAT'S the guy I want to fight."

The team glanced at each other and then sighed. "Alright, Natsu. You may compete in this round for our team." Erza said.

"YEAH!" he cried, hopping up. "See you later, guys!" he ran then proceeded to jump off the balcony and land on the ground.

"Must you really be the one to compete for your team?" Zeref asked.

"You got a problem with it Sir Cries-a-Lot?"

Zeref sighed and shook his head. "No." he grumbled. Natsu could tell he went into his depressed state for a moment before perking back up. "Now then, I will explain the rules only once, so listen up!"

"Hey, you're competing this time?" Roldo whispered.

"Yeah, I am." Natsu said, smirking. "And I'm not going easy on you 'cause we're friends."

"Friends?"

"Yep."

"But we just met."

"So?" Roldo was silent and then shrugged.

"I guess you're right. I'm not going easy on you either, alright."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Natsu grinned.

"And without further ado—!" Zeref's loud voice interrupted them. "Let the second game of the GMG commence!"

"Ah… did you hear him explain the rules?" Roldo asked.

"Nope." Natsu said cheerfully. "Let's do this thing!"

Roldo gulped, wondering what he had gotten himself into by becoming friends with this crazy guy. But to be honest, it was too late for wondering. Everyone had already started to spread out.

* * *

**A/N Gosh guys, I'm so sorry. I didn't think updating would take so long! But, I didn't think I'd even have a chapter out this week when yesterday I got a burst of inspiration and here we are! I really hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Now, for some updates. This story, is kind of like Dragneel Brothers if you have ever read it, in the terms where I have no end in sight. So, since this is kind of like an on-going forever story I am not going to be pressuring myself into creating a new chapter every week if I'm not ready. I want to get started on some other fics that have arcs and story endings and not focus on this one forever. So, I have no schedule for this. It might update in a few days, it might be a few weeks, but I will most likely never abandon it because you guys seem to love it and I really love writing it. It brightens my day and makes me smile like an idiot as I come up with stupid, ridiculous ideas! Also, yay Gruvia is here! I hope you guys were happy with that, and the fact that I introduced someone from Guild Shelby. As soon as I thought of never-ending food as a magic I knew I wanted to make Roldo and Natsu best friends. Now, suggestions for what this game are open and I will always accept ideas for future conversations/arcs/situations so don't be afraid to request if you really want something. Ah, other than that, simply dropping a review telling me you love the story motivates me to write because I know I'm not the only one who enjoyed writing/reading the chapter/story. I also love follows and favorites too, these things help me want to update and keep writing. So a HUGE thank you to everyone who has reviewed and/or favorited and/or followed the story, your support makes this possible. So, thanks for reading, drop a review if you liked the chapter. And I will see you guys next time! Bye!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Title: Of Theme Parks, Memory Problems, and Sneaky Jelly (Jellal)

* * *

Needless to say, Natsu nor Roldo really did a good job (especially considering the game was strategy based).

Natsu's teammates yelled at him for a long time after he told them he hadn't even heard the instructions, Zeref yelled at him the most. "I told you I was only saying it once!"

"Natsu has the memory of a gold fish, it's not your fault." Lucy assured.

"I know, but it's still frustrating!" Zeref complained, frowning.

"I know, but we have to accept we didn't do good this round and move on."

"Aye Sir!" Happy shouted flying by Natsu's shoulder with a grin.

"Don't be stupid." Carla said. "This time it's okay, but one more round like that and it's possible we won't even get second place."

"Well... there's two more games to get through, so we'll have a chance to earn some points." Lucy said, smiling. "Not all is lost."

"Winning doesn't really matter anyway. What matters is that we try out best." Erza said. "Now, let's celebrate, how does that sound?"

"I could use a break." Lucy said with a sigh.

"Hey, we could go to the water park!"  
"I think we're still banned from there." Lucy said to Natsu. Natsu crossed his arms and pouted.

"We could go to a different waterpark." He grumbled.

"It's true that there are multiple waterparks in Crocus, due to the fact there are so many people."

"So let's go to the waterpark!"

"But I don't really have any interest in getting banned from another one…" Lucy muttered.

"We should have some diversity." Erza agreed. "Perhaps we could go to a theme park instead." She suggested. They all thought about it. "I believe I did see one close to this stadium. I think they called it, 'Crocusland' or something like that." She added.

"I'm up for a theme park." Wendy said. She had been fairly quiet until now so obviously she was more inclined to go to the theme park rather than the waterpark. They all looked at each other and then nodded.

"Alright, let's go to the theme park." Natsu said.

"Fine. I mean, it's rare we can all agree on something." Gray added.

"Only, if we bring a lot of sunscreen." Zeref said. "I am not used to being in sunny places with no shade."

"I think what you mean to say is that you're not used to being in sunny places without your immortality to heal all the sunburns you would get otherwise."

"… Something like that." Zeref admitted crossly.

"Aw, can't take the heat." Natsu teased.

"Shut up. If you had fair skin you would be saying the same thing Mr. Tan!"

"Whatever." Natsu grumbled.

Then they all headed off to the theme park. "Okay, so how should we start off this chapters hilarious fails?" Natsu asked.

"Please stop breaking walls." Lucy said with a sigh.

"I'm not!"

"Not the solid kind of walls."

"Then what kind of walls?"

"The walls in literature!" Lucy shouted. Natsu paused and then shrugged.

"You know what I bet." Natsu said. They all raised an eyebrow. "I bet that Jellal comes out of THAT bush right now for some hilarious commentary!" Natsu pointed at some random bush they were walking past.

No one came out.

"Ha! You were wrong, you stupid flame brain!"

"I was not!" Natsu cried. "Just you wait, it'll happen any second now." They all stood there and watched the bush very intently.

"What are you all doing?" they all jumped and turned around to see Jellal looking at them confusedly.

"Wha—but we thought… but…" Natsu started spluttering unintelligibly.

"Thought what?"

"Natsu thought you were going to come out of the bush." Lucy said.

"Why would he think that?" she shrugged.

"Well you're always sneaking around! It would make total sense for you to walk out of a bush!"

"I'm not sneaky because I want to be. I was only ever so inconspicuous because I was an escaped convict. But now that all the charges have been dropped I'm free to walk down the street like everyone else."

"Oh." They all said.

"Surely you knew that Erza." She was silent for a few seconds and then nodded.

"Of course, of course!" she said, waving a hand.

"You aren't acting like you knew…"

"And you were staring at the bush with us!" Natsu interjected. Erza shot him a glare that made him shrink back and then she said,

"I was humoring you lot!"

"But you told me Jellal was one of the sneakiest people you knew besides Juvia and Mira and…" Natsu trailed off at the look Erza was giving him.

"You think I'm sneaky?" Jellal asked. "When have I ever been sneaky?"

"Like uh… your entire life." Erza said after a pause. "I mean, you were always sneaking around in the Tower of Heaven, trying to find escape routes and make escape routes and… well, escape." She hesitated before continuing. "And then after the rebellion and you kicked me out of our crew you lied to all of our friends, and the magic council, and me, and you snuck around for ten years or so, trying to resurrect Zeref. Then you continued being sneaky after you escaped from prison." Erza finished. "So, I kind of thought you were sneaky by nature."

"I was sneaky because of the circumstances." Jellal stated exasperatedly.

"Are you sure?" they all asked.

"Yes!" he cried.

A pause. "I believe you." Erza said, but almost as if it was just routine. No one else bothered to say it, because they didn't see a need to lie.

"… None of you believe me, do you?" they all shook their heads and Jellal kind of went into his depressed state, much like Zeref did sometimes (all the time).

"But we love you anyway!" Natsu insisted. "Just the way you are!"

"Yeah, Juvia's sneaky too!" Gray said. "Not as sneaky as that though…" he added in a mumble. Everyone glared at him and Gray shrugged, not about to apologize for speaking the truth.

"I hope you perish in the fiery pits of hell." Natsu heard and his heartrate sped up.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing." Jellal said, hopping up. "I didn't say anything."

"Did he, Natsu?" Lucy asked, knowing the dragon slayer had better hearing than any of them.

"Ah… no." Natsu said after a small pause. "Nope, he didn't say anything at all, I heard absolutely nothing!" no one really seemed to believe him but they all let the subject drop.

"Do you want to go to the theme park with us, Jellal-san. We're just heading there now." Wendy said.

"I would love going to the theme park with you." Jellal said. "If that's okay with everyone."

Everyone nodded, Natsu a bit reluctant after what he'd just heard, but he supposed it wasn't anything that Zeref didn't say everyday. Still, coming from Jellal it made him shudder.

So, with that, they all started walking to the theme park. Everyone but Erza and Wendy seeming just a bit on edge with his presence. "Isn't this the guy that wanted to kill me." Zeref whispered. "Like… really badly?"

"Yep." Natsu said softly. Zeref sucked in a breath and straightened up.

"Do you think he's still trying to kill me?"

"Probably." Lucy kicked him for that response.

"I'm sure it's fine." Lucy said to Zeref, a reassuring smile on her face. "He probably got over that grudge!"

"Oh, you mean like he got over the grudge of Erza leaving him all those years ago when he tried to kill her ten years later?" Natsu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well he's over it now!"

"Yeah, seventeen years later."

"That's not that long." Zeref said, looking a bit relieved.

"For a human, it's like half your life." Natsu said.

"No it is not! Don't lie to him!" Lucy growled.

"Fine, but seventeen years is almost twenty which is about half of half your life. So seventeen years is about a quarter of your life and he might've forgiven Erza but he didn't stop trying to kill Zeref until just recently. Jellal's lived about two quarters of his full life span which is?"

"Half his life." Lucy grumbled.

"I rest my case." Natsu said.

Zeref was silent staring at him. "Who are you and what have you done with Natsu?" Zeref asked.

"I'm smarter now!"

"Really? How?"

"I'm taking math lessons!"

"From who?"

"From you!" Zeref paused.

"I don't remember that." He said.

"Now you know where I get my gold fish memory from." Natsu told Lucy who tried to stifle a laugh and failed miserably.

"Hey!" Zeref said indignantly. "I have a GREAT memory!"

"Oh yeah? What were we talking about two minutes ago?"

"Well we were talking about… eh…" Zeref thought about it for a few minutes and then he glanced at Natsu. "Um… what was the question again?"

Natsu burst out laughing. "Ha! You've just proven my point!"

"I forgot your point." Natsu patted Zeref on the head.

"Yep, memory of a gold fish, but that's okay. I count on you to forget things so that I don't have to do them!"

Zeref glared at him. "What I wonder, is if you have such a terrible memory, how did you remember your plans for the war and stuff?"

Zeref was silent. "I wrote them in a notebook and had Invel remind me to check them every day. Sometimes he had to remind me that I reminded him." Zeref muttered.

Natsu was laughing again. "Is everything alright back there? Is anyone dying?" Wendy asked, turning around.

"It's nonsense, Wendy. Nothing to worry over." Carla said.

"Oh, okay." Wendy said, turning back around to whatever conversation was happening up there.

"You're so cute." Natsu said, ruffling Zeref's hair.

"No, I'm not!" Zeref cried and smoothed his hair down, glaring at Natsu who kept laughing. "Don't laugh, it's not funny!"

Natsu took deep breaths until he wasn't laughing anymore. "Right, right, sorry. It's not THAT funny… okay, it's that funny." Zeref glared at him. "Relax, I'll stop laughing." Natsu said, waving his hands dismissively. Zeref opened his mouth to reply but Natsu cut him off. "Are we there yet?" he whined.

"No!" Lucy said. "But almost, so be patient." She ordered. Natsu pouted and crossed his arms but obediently walked patiently with the group until the group saw huge rollercoasters in the distance. "There it is!" Lucy cried excitedly.

"Wow, it's really big." Wendy commented. They were all in silent agreement about that.

"Yeah, we could probably be here for hours!" Lucy said excitedly.

"I don't know what you're so excited about." Zeref grumbled. "That's hours of opportunity to come home sunburned or with a cold, or food poisoning, or worse."

"Well, we just won't eat anything, wear lots of sunscreen, and wash our hands a lot." Lucy said cheerfully. "We can take precautions."

"I guess…" Zeref said softly.

They all walked up to the tickets booth and bought some before walking into the park. It was a fairly crowded place with the smell of carnival food wafting through the air and lots of children screaming and running about. Natsu felt Zeref latch onto his arm quickly after entering. "You okay?" Natsu asked.

"Yes…" Zeref said softly. "It's just a bit crowded…" Natsu really was an idiot. Zeref had never liked crowded places, even if he didn't have the curse that made whatever death magic he had spiral out of control. The similar situations brought up anxiety in him, sometimes resulting in panic attacks if Natsu wasn't careful.

"Okay… if you feel too uncomfortable, we can always leave." Natsu said. Zeref nodded, but somehow Natsu knew that even if Zeref was feeling terrible, he wouldn't tell Natsu, for fear of ruining his fun, so Natsu was the one who'd have to be vigilant. "Okay." Natsu said and they kept walking through the park.

He walked towards Lucy and Mavis and whispered to them. "Can you help me keep an eye on Zeref in case he's about to have a panic attack or something?"

They glanced at each other and nodded. "Yes." Lucy said.

"Of course."

Natsu was relieved and could rest a bit easier knowing there were other people who were also looking out for Zeref.

"But um… where is he?" Lucy asked.

"What are you talking about, he's right…" Natsu trailed off as he looked down next to him only to find that Zeref was missing. "Oh… that's just great." Natsu grumbled. "Where could he have run off to?" Natsu furrowed his eyebrows as he scanned the crowd for his smaller brother.

"It's gonna be hard to find him. He has no problem blending in, that's for sure." Lucy said.

"What's wrong?" Erza asked, realizing they'd stopped.

"Zeref's gone, and you know… okay, well, no you don't, but you can imagine how terrible it is when he's in a crowd of people like this without us." Lucy said. Erza nodded in understanding.

"I see, well then we must search for him."

"Um… Jellal-san is gone too." Wendy said, looking around.

"Yeah, I can't see him anywhere." Gray said, looking around. Lucy and Natsu glanced at each other, a bit worried about what this meant.

"Okay, well then we'll have to locate them both." Natsu said. "Wendy, your code name is Sky Maiden, and Carla, your Code name is Catty Girl, okay? You two will search the south end of the park. Loopy, Fairy, you search the north." They saluted him and then Lucy frowned and said,

"Wait, why's my name Loopy…"

"Ice Princess and Scarlet Knight you'll take the east. Me, Dragon Lord the mighty and my loyal sidekick, Prince Dragon the Mighty will take the west."

"That's me!" Happy cried happily.

Everyone rolled their eyes at the two's nicknames but didn't say anything about it. "Okay fine, let's go." Lucy said, and they all split up. Natsu started to sniff around. It drew people's attention and they all looked at him weirdly, but no one tried to stop him or mock him or anything so Natsu continued. It was hard to pick out Zeref's smell when so many other people were around, but it was a distinct scent too. One of death and yet somehow fresh rain and wilderness. It was odd, but not particularly unpleasant. At least it was easier to pick out, even amongst all the other smells battling.

With Zeref

Zeref hadn't even noticed he'd separated from Natsu until several minutes after the fact. He'd let go of Natsu's arm for a second to take in his surroundings and when he turned back, Natsu was gone, probably assuming Zeref had followed him.

With this knowledge, Zeref's heartrate began speeding up and he had to take deep breaths to prevent a panic attack. He quickly moved out of the crowd of people, hoping to find Natsu as he was moving, but having no such luck. Thankfully, he moved to a less crowded area of the park fairly quickly, before he got too panicked. Once there he crouched on the ground taking deep breaths.

Zeref could barely hear anything over his pounding heart for the longest time, but at last, he took a deep breath and his head stopped pounding, his heart stopped racing, and his hands didn't feel so sweaty nor his knees so weak. "That felt terrible." He muttered. Took a deep breath and released it.

He jumped though, when hearing the sound of footsteps approaching. He glanced over and saw the man from earlier. What was his name again? Jelly? Yeah, that was it! "Jelly, what are you doing here?" Zeref asked. He was surprised when something like… (was a tic mark what they called it?) appeared on his forehead. "Uh… Jelly?"

"My name is Jellal." Jelly—Jellal said.

"Oh… oh, right. Yes, of course I remembered that! So… uh… yeah." He grumbled and gazed around. They were in an abandon area, Zeref was on his knees, Jelly was in a black cloak, and this felt oddly like he was about to get murdered by a serial killer. "What are you doing here?"

"Everyone is worried. I saw you walk off, so I followed you."

"I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't."

"Oh… then why are you here? I doubt it's to tell me off, you're so quiet!"

"Murders aren't planned out loud."

"I plan my murders out loud all the time!... hey, do you think that's why they all back away slowly?"

Jellal was silent as he stared at Zeref almost incredulously. "I can't decide whether your stupid or not." Jellal said.

"I'm not stupid! Natsu tells me I'm oblivious, but that's completely different from stupid!"

"If you say so." Jellal said.

"So, about the planning murders out loud thing. Are you here to kill me or something, because I strongly advise against it. I can still destroy you, even without my curse."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Maybe."

"Then maybe I'll take you up on your offer." Had Zeref accidently provoked the guy? He wasn't exactly good at telling what would tick people off yet, but apparently getting their names wrong and telling them you could beat them easily were two ways.

"Ah, that's not necessary. I was just saying. But I don't want to fight you."

"And I don't want to fight you either." Zeref let out a sigh of relief. "I'd much prefer to kill or imprison you." Jellal said. "It's not fair that you were not punished in any way for your crimes. Not after you ruined so many lives!"

"I was punished!" Zeref insisted. "My punishment was 400 years of being cursed to kill the things I love!"

"It's not enough. That was your punishment for bringing back the dead. But for all the other crimes and people you have wronged you deserve nothing less than what I give you."

Zeref had always believed he should be punished for his sins. But after he'd experienced so much in life he didn't… he didn't want to die anymore. But Jelly was still right in many was. He had hurt so many people and it was wrong of him to simply be let go without any punishment. He wasn't sure what to do, but it appeared his indecision might not give him much of a choice.

"Stop!" the two froze and looked back where Natsu burst through the last dense crowd of people into the deserted area. "You step away from him Jellal! I won't allow you to kill my brother."

"Natsu, you're blinded by familial bonds. Can you not see how many people he's hurt."

"Oh yeah? Well you hurt people too!"

"I was forced!"

"Well so was he!" Natsu cried. "You guys are so similar. There's no difference. You were both given a choice in the end, and you chose the right one. You both chose to live with your mistakes and move forward, trying to help people instead! Okay? So Jellal, I get that you're mad, but Zeref can't control other people's actions. It's not his fault people use his name to do evil things and get away with evil things! And I guarantee that if you went through his suffering, you wouldn't have lasted a day!"

Jellal flinched at the last line and Natsu paused. "Oops… I didn't mean to say the last line aloud." He thought about it.

"Natsu, don't say things like that." Zeref scolded. "Despite the fact that other suffering may seem trivial, it is still suffering, and it takes a special person to be able to overcome that!"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for." Natsu said. "But seriously, there's no need for you two to fight when you're so similar. Now come on, everyone's worried about you guys." Natsu said.

No one moved for a few seconds and then Zeref slowly moved towards Natsu, wondering if Jellal would make a move to hurt him. He didn't and Zeref reached Natsu without any interference. "Come on." Natsu motioned Jellal to follow them.

"Um… I actually had something else I needed to do today. I'll see you later."

Natsu blinked and Jellal was somehow gone within that brief timeframe. "Sneaky…" Natsu muttered.

"I think you made Jelly sad." Zeref said accusingly.

"Well I didn't mean to!" Natsu protested. "And his name's Jellal!"

"It is? Oh, I knew that." Zeref said. "I'm gonna tell Erza you made Jelly cry and she's going to be mad!"

"It's Jellal! And I just saved your life and you're going to rat me out!"

"Yes!"

"You ungrateful welp!" Natsu screamed as Zeref ran off with Natsu following close behind. Natsu saw their friends gathered in a group, discussing something softly when they all saw Zeref run up their faces broke out into relieved smiles. Natsu screeched to a halt when he realized he wouldn't be able to tackle Zeref before he told, Natsu wisely started running the opposite directions. Not before seeing Zeref saying something to Erza and pointing at him though. Natsu was still running, but he wasn't far enough to miss the, "NATSU!" that sent shivers up his spine.

* * *

**A/N Who was ready for a new chapter? ME, ME, ME! I'm so sorry it took so long but I just... I just couldn't write it. But now I'm back with a new chapter! First of all, I would like to thank reviewers for their lovely reviews and everyone who faved and followed.**

**To reviewer afurry: Yes, I can definitely do Cappy eventually, but it might take some time.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter (considering it might be the last one for a month or two... but I will always update eventually so just stay patient! Encouraging reviews or even those with constructive criticism motivate me to update faster and literally make my day. They're even a source of inspiration. Also, ideas are always welcome (I know I keep saying this but it's true) credit will be given unless you explicitly tell me you don't want it). Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed and yes, I do plan to do more with Jellal, and I love him so he will play LOTS of rolls! Here he was kind of the villain a little but... meh, whatever, I still love him. Oh, and did Natsu make Jelly cry? I don't know, I'll leave it up to you. Anyway, thanks so much for reading, reviews are appreciated, I'll see you either next week or sometime... ahem, I will see you eventually. Bye!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Title: Of Spiders, Internet, and Overused Tropes

* * *

After they were worn out from walking around and waiting in lines, they all headed back to the hotel room, exhausted. "Hm, it's probably good we left when we did." Natsu muttered tiredly.

"We got kicked out." Lucy grumbled. "Oh, why did I let you guys talk me out of going back to the hotel a few hours ago with Zeref."

"You know you love us." Happy chirped.

"It's okay Lucy, they somehow managed to talk me out of it too." Wendy said with a slightly guilty smile. When Wendy had caved so had Lucy. No one bothered Zeref because… well, bothered Zeref was scary Zeref.

Apparently no one cared whether Lucy and Wendy were tired of being bothered. What was with all the neglect?

"I'm just happy that it's the third day tomorrow. That means we'll almost be half-way through these stupid games. Why have we participated again this year?"

"Because everyone's bored without us. And Gramps wanted the money." Gray said.

"For what!"

They all shrugged, and Lucy sighed.

"Let's just hurry up and get home." She groaned.

"Lucy's right. We have an early morning tomorrow." Erza added, opening the door to the hotel lobby.

Too tired to climb the stairs they all took the elevator to their rooms. Lucy yawned and was about to open the door to their bedroom, but they all heard crashing inside Zeref and Mavis's room.

Sharing glances with each other, Lucy frowned and went over, opening the door. What she saw was utter pandemonium, pun intended.

"What… what…" Lucy couldn't get the words out.

Everything was smashed, burn marks on the rugs, curtains torn, bed sheets ashes, glass shattered, blood too.

And there was Zeref standing in the middle, running and throwing things, stepping on glass, and smearing blood for a picturesque murdery scene.

"What are you doing?" Mavis asked.

"There… there…" Zeref spluttered, climbing up on the bed and pointing. "It's the spawn of Satan. The epitome of all things unnatural. And it's coming to kill me!"

"What is?" Carla said, looking just as confused as the rest of them.

"THAT!" he screamed.

They all came in, somewhat careful of the broken glass, yet not as careful as they would be without shoes on.

"Where?"

Zeref pointed down at the floor. Looking down Wendy was greeted with a small, black spider with long spindly legs. She instantly felt a shiver roll up her spine, and screamed, flinging herself on the bed with Zeref, screaming with him.

Mavis and Lucy backed up in disgust.

"It's a bug." Natsu said blankly.

"It's a spider." Lucy corrected. "And it's disgusting. Kill it!"

"You do it!" Natsu cried.

"No, it's not my problem."

"Well it's not mine either!"

"It's your brother's room!"

"Exactly, let him take care of it." Natsu said.

Lucy opened her mouth to respond but Erza interrupted, shouting, "I SHALL KILL THE BEAST!"

"Squish it!" Wendy agreed.

"Burn it!" Natsu said excitedly.

"Ice it!"

"Whip it!"

"Eat it." Zeref said and they all stared at him weirdly. They didn't have time to dwell on this however as Mavis said,

"Show it it's worst fears over and over, psychologically torturing it until it caves and becomes your slave, assassinating your enemies with it's deadly bite."

At this their mouths hung open slightly. One thing became clear, and that was that Mavis and Zeref certainly deserved each other. "What?" Mavis asked innocently.

Happy somehow made the situation about love.

"Have I ever told you how much I love it when your mentally unstable?" Zeref asked, a slightly dreamy look on his face.

"Have I ever told you I love it when you silence people?"

That caused everyone's heartrate to escalate. "I'm not sure if she meant when he silenced people by saying weird things or silenced people by… you know." Natsu dragged a finger across his throat and they all shivered.

Erza was still trying to kill the spider, but swords apparently didn't work so well. Gray eventually killed it with an ice newspaper. Erza was mad he didn't let her kill it at first, but she eventually accepted it for what it was.

"Thank goodness that's over." Wendy said with relief, finally crawling off the bed. "But um… how are we going to explain the damages?"

"How about this," Natsu started, "We were enjoying a nice, peaceful evening, lounging about, talking, laughing, when all of a sudden; a ninja dragon comes through the window. The window shatters to bits, and we cut our feet trying to get out of the room. We don't make it in time. Chaos ensues. We try to fight our way out, but the ninja dragon has orphan children, they're on a plane and if we fight then the children will die. We had no choice but to comply. So we let him lead us to a boat and sail into the middle of the ocean, where he claims if we want to save the children, we have to jump! It's suicide certainly, as there are lots of sharks with open jaws, waiting. We have no choice. We jump. As a natural instinct I hesitate to jump. He pushes me. I cling to the side for dear life. Then, he cackles and says he doesn't plan to release the orphan children, before he steps on my fingers. I cry out in pain and descend into the sharp depths below." Natsu ends sadly.

"Um… why is the dragon evil? Don't you like dragons? Also, dragons are massive, someone would notice if one led us off. And, we die." Lucy said.

"Ah, correction. _I _die. I never said anything about you."

"Yeah, but you're here."

"I'll hide."

"But they'll see you at the GMG tomorrow."

"Oh…" Natsu said and frowned. Just then, Gray and Erza walked into the room.

"So, while you were making your stupid story that no one would believe, Erza and I took care of the problem." Gray smirked.

Natsu scowled, "It's not stupid!"

"We have to pay for the damages, but it's not as much as I thought it was going to be. They've given you a different room down the hall."

"I'll pay for the damages. It was my fault."

"Yeah, we know." Gray said. "Goodnight."

"And Zeref-san, let me heal your feet." Wendy said. "It must hurt."

"Oh… not really I hadn't even noticed." He muttered.

So, Wendy healed Zeref's feet and Mavis and Zeref transferred to the room down the hall. Everyone was asleep by one AM. Thankfully, no orphan-napping ninja dragons attacked that night.

The next morning, everyone got up and sluggishly headed for the stadium, regretting that they didn't get to bed earlier. "I need my eight hours of sleep." Natsu complained, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Quit your whining, flame breath. We're all tired here."

"Shut up, Gray, no one asked you." Natsu said, mustering a glare in Gray's direction.

"If you two are so tired, save your energy for the games." Lucy grumbled.

The games continued on like normal, and the games ended with Fairytail taking the win, but no one was very surprised. Natsu and Roldo became good friends in that time and often ate out together, meaning Roldo made food and Natsu ate it.

"Yay, it's over! We won!" Natsu cried, pumping his fist in the air.

"Sorry, but right now, that's the last thing I'm concerned with." Zeref mumbled, staring at the newest invention the guild had invested in after winning the games.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"It won't turn on." Zeref complained, tapping the screen and waving it wildly around.

"Um, maybe like, hit the power button." Lucy suggested and hit the power button. Soon, the screen lit up with the option to put in a password. "The password is supposed to be friendship123."

"Oh, how original." Gray said sarcastically.

"Don't be like that." Lucy grumbled and clicked on one of the apps. "What did you even want to look up anyway?"

"Us!" Zeref said. "I wonder if they've put anything about us on here."

"I'm not sure we want to know…" Lucy said, frowning.

"I want to know." Natsu said eagerly, pushing Zeref off the chair and sitting down himself.

"Jerk…" Zeref growled and crossed his arms. Natsu typed in his own name first. One of the first thing that came up was a page labeled 'Natsu Dragneel'

"Wow, it's like a news article. It has my appearance and personality and picture and… my powers and history, and wow this thing is accurate."

"Hey, I want to look up me!" Zeref said.

Basically, the same thing came up. "I wonder what would happen if we typed in both our names at the same time!"

"I don't know, it might overload." Zeref said.

"It won't overload from something that simple." Erza assured. "Try it." She encouraged.

Natsu didn't need to be prompted twice and typed in both their names. "Let's see the images." He clicked on the tab and a bunch of photos of them came up. "Okay, now I'm kind of disturbed. Just how many people know about you and me?"

"A lot, apparently."

"Search our guild." Lucy said.

"Okay." Natsu complied and typed in the guild's name.

"Fairytail, a manga created by Hiro Mashima…" Natsu trailed off. "I told you we were in a manga! And I told you I was the main character. Now pay up Zeref!"

"I feel like we've already had the discussion that I was the main character." Lucy corrected.

"Maybe, but everyone likes me better."

"Just pay him. At least it will shut him up."

Zeref sighed and nodded, handing over some of the last remnants of money in his wallet.

"Well now I know why you keep breaking the walls."

"I've always broken the walls." Natsu said.

"I didn't mean literally."

"I mean literally and figuratively."

Lucy hit the power button of the device and closed the lid. "Okay, no, let's stop before we find something I regret."

"Aw, but I haven't even gotten started." Natsu complained. He sighed and said, "Well now what, the plot is dragging, we have to do something interesting or the author will give up on us."

"What are you rambling on about now?" Gray asked, scowling.

"Well, the audience will get bored and the author will be out of a job if we stop being interesting."

"Well then what should we do?" Lucy asked sarcastically.

Natsu thought about it, tapping his chin. "Let's see, we've already done several tropes. We've done the true love's kiss trope, spider trope, introducing OC's for convenience trope, the dramatic confrontation trope, the looking ourselves up on the internet trope…"

"Maybe we should do a trope more specific to our own story."

"We could do the 'Lucy gets kicked out of the guild and you train her to become OP trope!' what about that?" Natsu suggested, looking mildly excited.

"Well, I don't know about all that, but I think it might be fun to be trained by a former dark wizard. It would be an interesting experience for me to write about. But I don't know about the whole, getting kicked out of the guild, thing."

"We should do the, 'Lucy gets kicked out of Team Natsu' thing. It usually starts with you being an idiot like usual, and either Lucy proves she's stronger than we think or it turns into some sappy romance novel." Gray wrinkled his nose.

"Better than yours where you don't realize your true feelings for Juvia until she's on the brink of death."

"Do I have a trope?" Erza asked.

"Uh… I think your trope would be that you're a good girl and Jellal's a bad boy and so you help him be a better person… or something of that matter." Lucy said after thinking a bit.

"Do I have one?" Mavis asked.

"Nah, you're not enough of a main character." Natsu said. Mavis pouted at that.

"I'd honestly prefer not to do my trope." Gray said. "And I don't think Juvia should follow hers either, because that's just genuinely unhealthy for the both of us."

"True. Let's do the, Lucy trains and comes back a total beast after getting kicked out, and Erza turns Jellal into a good guy." Zeref said.

"Okay, great! This will surely bring in more view—."

"Natsu! You can't let them KNOW it's a marketing technique… I mean, purely for the reader's enjoyment."

"Lucy, you're so dumb sometimes."

"Shut up!"

"As of now, you're kicked out of Team Natsu for being dumb."

"Isn't it supposed to be weak?"

"Oh yeah, that too. But dumb, especially dumb."

"Ugh! I don't want to hear that from you!"

"You know, there is always the option where I date Lisanna and everyone but Wendy and a few other stop paying attention to you so you leave the guild." Natsu suggested.

"Yeah no, I'll take the getting kicked out of Team Natsu one. But you're not REALLY kicking me out, right?"

"No, I am."

"You're what?"

"Shh, play along. It's gotta be believable."

"I suggest not saying anything. Because they can hear everything you say."

"What about thinking it?"

"They can hear that too." Lucy said.

Natsu was silent for a long time before he finally said, "I feel violated."

"Shut up and let's get a move on with those tropes. We don't have all the time in the world!"

"Actually, we do. The ones on the other side are the ones running out of time." Zeref said wistfully.

"Can you not be depressing for like, two minutes?" Gray said.  
"Well it depends on how fast they can read. If they read this in under two minutes from the last time I spoke than no, if they did, then yes."

"I'm done talking to you. I'm going to help Erza with her trope." Gray said.

"I'll help Lucy and Zeref with theirs." Natsu exclaimed. Mavis agreed with him and so did Happy. Wendy and Carla decided to help Erza.

And thus the teams were split in two. "Hey, did you know the author is going to split us up into two chapters or something?" Natsu whispered.

"No…" Gray said.

"My chapters going to get us more reviews than yours."

"What? No it's not!" Gray said.

"Wanna bet on it?"

Gray stared at Natsu's smirking face and then his outstretched hand. "You're on." He said, shaking it.

* * *

**A/N First of all, I have to stress that this is purely for hilarity purposes. This is not meant to offend anyone who has written or likes reading about these tropes seriously. Secondly, ugh, I know the chapter was a little shorter than usual, but at least I got an update in this summer right? Right? Okay, um... so, this bet of Natsu's, whoever wins is up to you. I will be splitting the tropes up into two chapters. I think Gray's chapter will be first and then Natsu's? But I'm not sure, it doesn't really matter, so just whoever comes first. **

**So here's how it will work. Going on the theory that Gray's chapter will be first. **

**IMPORTANT! IF YOU WISH TO VOTE ON WHO YOU WANT TO WIN GRAY AND NATSU'S BET, HERE IS HOW TO DO IT! ALSO, WHAT THEY BET ON WILL ONLY BE REVEALED IF ONE OF THEM WINS. OTHERWISE, THEY'LL SIMPLY BE DISAPPOINTED THEY TIED.**

**1) You definitely have the option to wait until both chapters are out. You can vote based on which chapter you liked better, which trope you like better, or which character you like better (Gray/Natsu). I don't care how you vote. Reviews will be taken as vote. Reviews telling me you like or dislike the story for whatever reasons are very motivation but to vote, simply write either Gray or Natsu in your review. You can vote on this chapter, Gray's chapter, or Natsu's chapter, but when the fourth chapter of this tiny series here is released the voting will be officially ended. I will also tell you in the A/N the chapter when the voting is completed. **

**2) If these rules don't make sense I'm sorry. You can PM me with any questions (if you have an account, please do it this way). If you are a Guest, you may review with any questions and I will answer you via my own review or in the next A/N. If anything confuses you feel free to ask. I'm not the best when it comes to explaining sometimes. **

**3) In the case where no one votes, it will be a tie. If the number of votes is equal, obviously that is also a tie.**

**Okay, long note, sorry, but... yeah. Um, thank you for your patience, I really appreciate it. Reviews relating and not relating to this competition are both appreciated. Okay, I am leaving now (I'm hoping to get in one more update, maybe two before the summer ends, but will see. Again, sorry for the long nearly two months no updates). See you soon (hopefully) Oh, and Jelly will be back next chapter (yay)! Bye!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Title: Of Shipping, Jellal's fists, and Gray being eviler than evil wizards

* * *

Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Carla all watched as the other group walked outside and into the forest to start training. "Okay, so how are we supposed to do my trope?" Erza asked.

"Well first, I think we have to find Jellal-san." Wendy suggested. "But I don't know what we're supposed to do exactly. I thought Jellal-san was already a good guy."

"Honestly, I thought so too." Erza said, frowning. "But if the two of us are already good, then how are we supposed to fulfill the trope."

"Meh, I don't know, but you both should look good while doing it." Gray said.

"What do you mean? Are you saying we don't always look good." Erza narrowed her eyes.

"Um, well, I mean, you always look good. But, I was thinking we could describe your long, flowing hair. Or Jellal's sultry gaze. You know, fanservice."

"But that's not the trope." Wendy said, frowning.

"Well no, it's not the trope. But it's sure to catch the reader's attention. Not like how Lucy's sweating and Zeref's being all emo and Natsu's an idiot. Mavis and Happy can be annoying too."

"Don't insult the First!"

"I notice you didn't say anything about Happy."

Erza was silent. Gray then continued, "Overall we have the better crew. We got the cool, collected, beautiful knight chick. And the cute little midget with her proper, tiny cat. And of course, the hot guy who always takes his clothes off. So we're the better crew. Now we just need to have the better trope. And ours will always be better."

"Why?" Erza asked.

"There's more shipping, duh."

"I am slightly concerned that you know this."

Gray shrugged. "Is it a crime to want to win?"

"Well no, it just seems that you've really done your research."

"I have. Now we should probably stop talking now and go find Jellal so we can do this trope and bring in the romance fans. We need more romance right now anyway, since it's a whole genre."

"Okay!" Wendy and Erza both said, nodding.

"But how are we going to find Jellal-san?" Wendy asked, frowning.

"I'll call him." Erza said, taking out her communication lacrima. "Ever since he stopped being a wanted criminal and his objective to kill Zeref was put on hold, Jellal's had far too much free time. So, he comes over basically anytime I ask."

"Aw, that's so cute." Wendy said, smiling.

Erza smiled back at her and dialed, putting the lacrima to her ear. Jellal picked up on the second ring and suddenly, Gray saw what Erza meant by 'having far too much free time.' She meant the dude had no life at all. "Hello?"

"Good afternoon, Jellal. I was wondering if you would come by the guild hall today. I have something very important for us to do."

"Really? What is it?"

"A surprise."

There was a small pause on the other end.

"Alright, I'll be right over." Jellal conceded and the phone hung up. Erza stuck the phone back in her pocket.

"He'll likely be here in five minutes or less." She said.

The other two nodded and they all waited for a minute or two until Jellal popped up right beside them. Wendy let out a small shriek and Gray jumped. They all turned around to stare at him. A few awkward minutes of silence passed before Jellal said, "You told me there was something important we had to do?"

"Oh, yes, right, of course." Erza shook her head. "You see, we've decided to reenact some of our own personal tropes we have."

"Then what do you need me for?"

"It's my trope." Erza explained. "And it involves you."

"Well what's the trope?"

"Basically, I'm supposed to—"

"Wait!" Gray shouted. "Don't tell him. It's already messing everything up that you know the trope. The other half of the party definitely doesn't need to know!"

"Okay, but if he doesn't know then how are we going to do this?" Wendy asked.

"Simple," Gray gave Jellal a look and he slowly wandered off to a different corner of the guild. "Jellal just has to do what he normally does, except with you. He's bound to do something wrong."

"What if he doesn't?" Carla asked.

"Then we'll _make _him do something bad."

"This kind of sounds like we're the villains in this scenario, and I don't know how to be bad." Wendy said, frowning.

"I have lots of experience playing the evil character card."

"Like that one time where you decided to go on an S-class quest for your own gain." Erza said, an almost deadly look in her eye.

"Or that time you almost killed Natsu when that lady Daphne wanted to use him as an experiment." Wendy added.

"Or that other time when he joined the dark guild Avatar and fought Natsu and Lucy." Carla mentioned.

"Or that one time when—"

"Okay, okay, I get it! I have LOTS of experience being the bad guy!"

"I'd say you have even more than Jellal." Erza said.

Gray just glared at her and crossed his arms. "Yeah, whatever. But everyone knows that I just brought in more fans."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone loves the hot evil guy. Why do you think people like Zeref?"

"Because of his sad past and it's very easy to feel sympathy for him."

"Yeah, but it's even easier if he's a hot guy. Why do you think everyone likes to write things about Zeref and Jellal but no one writes about that one guy. The big one with the curse doll on Tenrou Island!"

"I'm sure there's a few people that write about him!"

"Okay." Gray said. "If you say so."

Erza opened her mouth to argue more on the subject, but Gray interrupted her, "I think Jellal's growing impatient by the way he's eating ice cream when he doesn't even like it."

"Okay, okay, I'll go over there and tell him that he can just go on with his day as normal, but with me."

"And we'll be watching from the background." Gray said.

Erza's gaze lingered on them for a moment, before she walked over to Jellal to tell him what they were doing. When she got over there, before she even opened her mouth, Jellal said, "I see Zeref's not here now."

"No, he and the rest of Team Natsu went off to go fulfill another trope. I believe some bet was made between Natsu and Gray by the way they were acting, but I'm not sure what it was." Erza frowned.

Jellal nodded, twiddling his thumbs, "So what did you bring me here to talk about?"

"Oh, we're just going to walk around town. Whatever you had to do today we can just do together."

"Um… you mean like, like a… I don't know,"

"He's totally blowing it." Gray said, glaring at the two of them.

"Aw, they're so cute!" Wendy exclaimed, a huge smile on her face.

"He's supposed to act like a bad boy. You know, all cool, with a leather jacket and stuff."

"Come on, Gray. You can't hope for the impossible. We all know Jellal's actually a cinnamon roll." Carla said.

"Yeah, but what we need him to be is a sinnamon roll."

They both just stared at him. "You know, with an 's', like 'sin'."

The other two rolled their eyes and just kept watching Erza and Jellal.

"Like a what?" Erza asked.

"Like a…like a date." He bit his lip, glancing nervously up at Erza.

Erza blushed a little and slowly nodded. "Yes, like a date." She muttered. There was an awkward silence for several minutes before Erza finally added, "So are you ready to go?"

"Um, yes." He said quickly, standing up. The stool started to tip over but Erza caught it and set it up right before it could hit the floor.

"Alright then, let's go."

Erza took Jellal's hand and dragged him off to go do whatever it was people did on dates.

Gray, Wendy, and Carla all started following after them. "It'll be much easier to make Jellal do something bad than wait for him."

"But that's not very nice, Gray-san."

"Whatever I'm just gonna narrate so, shh!" Gray squinted at the two of them. "Erza and Jellal walked down the streets. Jellal gripped Erza's hand tightly, almost as if afraid to let go. He kept giving her sideways glances to gauge her expression. He wondered whether it would be alright to move in for a kiss."

"Um… Gray—"

"Shhh, narrating! Now then, Erza glanced up at him at just the right time and saw him staring at her…"

Wendy sighed and shook her head, staring ahead and trying to hear the two of them while blocking Gray out. "Hey, so where do you want to go first?" Erza asked, blushing slightly.

Jellal stared at her and slowly blinked. "What?"

"Um… where do you want to go first?"

"Oh, well it's nearly lunch time, why don't we go somewhere to eat?"

"Okay." Erza said, smiling. "I think I know the perfect place."

Jellal nodded and let himself be led off towards the restaurant. "I've got an idea." Gray said. Wendy was almost afraid to hear it. "Alright, we're gonna 'rob' the restaurant their add, recognize Jellal and offer to let him join us. Obviously he will, and then Erza will set him straight! There, end of trope."

"That is a terrible idea." Carla said, but Gray was already running off in that direction.

She and Wendy sighed, slowly following after him.

They arrived behind the same restaurant Jellal and Erza had entered. "Here, wear these masks." Gray said, handing two to Carla and Wendy.

The two hesitantly put on the masks and followed Gray into the restaurant. "Everyone put your hands in the air!" Gray shouted.

"This is the stupidest thing ever done." Wendy grumbled.

Everyone's heads turned toward Gray, the source of the noise. Although, if Wendy was being honest, he sounded way too happy to be threatening.

People obviously didn't share the same opinion, because all the civilians started putting their hands in the air and getting on their knees. "Now we're going to walk around, and if you give us all your money, no one has to get hurt!" Gray said.

Erza stared at Gray and Wendy, wondering what the heck they were doing. "Erza, aren't we going to destroy these bad guys?" Jellal whispered.

"Destroy?"

"Yes, you move in first, immobilize them, and then I will destroy them with a singular punch."

"Uh… should we really do that?"

Jellal seemed a bit confused. "Do you not want to?" he asked.

"Uh well, not really."

Jellal hesitated for a minute before he nodded. "Okay, fine. Then I shall do it alone."

"Jellal, wai—"

"Stop!" Jellal shouted, getting up from his booth. "Leave these people alone immediately, and I will spare your lives!

Gray glanced at Wendy and gave her and Carla a wink before turning to Jellal. "Ah, yes, Jellal Fernandez. I know you, you are the evil wizard behind the tower of heaven. Us evil wizards worship you! Please, join us and rob these civilians!"

"I will do no such thing."

Gray was silent and then after a minute whispered, "He's straying from the script!"

"Uh, I think you're supposed to say yes you will."

"No I won't. What I am going to do is send you straight to hell." Jellal reached out grabbed Gray's shoulder tightly. Wendy and Gray barely had time to exchange a look before Jellal punched him in the face.

"Jellal, Jellal, stop there's no need for this." Erza said gently, coming over.

Wendy just stared with wide eyes at Gray on the floor, glad Erza stopped this before she was on the floor too. "This is al just a big misunderstanding." She assured. "Gr-you, get off the floor."

Gray didn't, so Erza rolled her eyes and grabbed him, dragging them all out of the restaurant. "Gray, what did you think you were doing?" Erza asked.

"Ugh, I was trying to fulfill the trope. Jellal was supposed to almost join us but listen to you and not at the last moment." He grumbled, rubbing his cheek. "But things didn't work out that way."

"Let me see." Erza said, prying Gray's hand away to look. "It looks fine to me, I'm sure you'll be all healed in a couple weeks. "

"Great." Gray muttered. "But we didn't do the trope."

"Yes you did, I stopped Jellal from killing you." Erza said, smiling. "If that's not fulfilling the trope, I don't know what is."

"Well actually, I'm pretty sure we've been doing it all wrong. For some reason, I feel like this was supposed to take place in a school setting." Wendy muttered.

"Oh," Erza and Gray said.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on here." Jellal seemed slightly exasperated. Erza laughed a little and said,

"It's nothing. Just us and our crazy plans." She stood up on tip toe and gave Jellal a quick peck on the cheek, blushing when she pulled away.

"He's going to say something cheesy." Gray whispered.

"You missed," Jellal gave a tiny smile.

"I knew it."

Erza glared at the two of them. Gray and Wendy slowly slunk off into the shadows, but secretly peered around the corner to watch. Erza cupped Jellal's face and gently kissed him.

* * *

**A/N Here it is, the trope (sort of). Review if you liked this chapter! Thanks for reading, Bye!**


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